- SEE OUR LATEST CURATED EXPERIENCE, AN EXPERT GUIDED TOUR in VENICE
When we first opened in 2007, we had a clear vision for Collina Italiana and how it would fit into the landscape of Italian schools around the U.S and the world. We wanted to deliver a unique learning experience by blending one of the most beautiful languages in the world with its heritage.
Building up a this unique kind of Italian school meant committing to our roots and culture to demonstrate for our students what Italy truly is, what it’s like to be Italian and everything our culture has to offer. Our goal is for our students to be in love with Italy, and the idea of Italy, as much as we are.
Our new webinar series will give you a taste of the rich culture of Italy: music, art, cuisine, and so much more.
In collaboration with native Italian experts, these events, in English and Italian, will showcase the traditional and popular aspects of Italian culture, as well as feature new perspectives with a modern twist.
Two-Night Event: Friday, April 23rd & April 30th, 6-7pm EST (in English, via Zoom)
‘Sanremo Festival’ is the most popular song contest and awards ceremony in Italy. The story of this beloved celebration of music begins in the city of Sanremo on January 29th, 1951 when the party hall of the Casinò lit up for the first Italian song festival. During this webinar, we’ll not only discuss the performers (from Nilla Pizzi, Domenico Modugno, and Claudio Villa, to Laura Pausini, Eros Ramazzotti, and Andrea Bocelli), but we will also take a look at the brands who style them, the gossip, and the unforgettable performances.
Thursday, May 13, 6-7pm EST (in English, via Zoom)
In this first talk we turn the clock back to the 1400s to understand where the modern idea of witches was born. Most people might not know that before the Renaissance, witches did not even have to be women, and the church used to pay no attention to this “myth.” As women with some medical knowledge were quickly depicted as witches brewing love potions, we cannot help but wonder how the whole symbology of witchcraft aimed to undermine the power of women during an historical time where women themselves started to be first celebrated, then quickly demonized.
Thursday, May 27, 6-7pm EST (in English, via Zoom)
It is in the early modern period that the concept of fashion emerges as a powerful medium of cultural translation with aesthetic, political, and cultural resonance. Objects and clothing became a vehicle for the expression of someone’s identity and the codification of status that was exhibited, controlled (by sumptuary laws), and transgressed. This talk aims at exploring some interesting “fashion statements” of the time to show how often exuberance and glamour were not only tolerated but admired, especially in positions of power.
Thursday, June 10, 6-7pm EST (in English, via Zoom)
Despite the restrictions imposed by their patriarchal society, women gained more visibility during the Renaissance. Some of them even managed to gain the same fame and power as their male counterparts. This talk examines some examples of “extraordinary” women that distinguished themselves in their roles as intellectuals and artists, rulers and patrons, lovers and companions. Is there a pattern that brings them together? Were their stories a point of reference for other women?
