400 years ago…Did Shakespeare love the Circus?

MSNC_1Midsummer Night’s Circus a new musical written by Tobias Rossi and Simone Nardini with music and lyrics by Antonio Torella
accurately directed by Marco Bellocchio and inspired to
Shakespeare A Midsummer Night’s Dream.MSNC_44Like in Pippin or the new version of Godspell, the action takes place in a circus,
where elves, clowns, acrobats all together celebrate the circus life, spiced up from a brilliant cast of over forty performers, including young talents and hot stars
such as Michel Altieri (in the role of Oberon) Pietro Pignatelli (Aegean),
Giovanni Abbracciamento
(Lysander), and a great Titania
played by Simona Samarelli
MSNCShakespeare, Circus, Music, Colors, and an enthusiastic cast …
all work for this lovely version of a masterpiece, that probably Sir William himself may like.
May 13,14 at the Teatro della Luna of Assago

 

 

VIENNA:THE 5 BEST COFFEEHOUSES

What could be better than a coffee served with all the rules and perhaps
accompanied by a Viennese dessert?Vienna Cafe Sperl copyyy Foto@Cesare Zucca copyHere is my top list
Hawelka Famous Buchten, vanilla cupcake.
Central Splendid but touristy
Sperl marbles and fine mirrors 800. Frequented by the locals
Mozart cake biscuit, pistachio cream, chocolate mousse
Landtmann establieshed 125 years ago. Anyone important has been here,
from Freud to Lady Gagaarticle-0-0EC94B5E00000578-863_468x666

CIBUS 2016 OPENS AT PARMA FIERE…IT’S A BOOOOM!

Yesterday was my first day at CIBUS 2016, probably the greatest biennial International Food Exhibition…in the Planet. cibus.2016                                                                                        More than 3 thousand exhibitors, and an estimated 70 thousand visitors
are expected to be at Fiere di Parma. 
So many novelties…From bio to vegan, to wines, biers,chocolates, excellent frozen items, cheeses, to sweets (like the Christmas classical
panettone Fiasconaro
adorned of a white chocolate crèche.

Fiasconaro panettone with white chocolate crèche

Fiasconaro panettone with white chocolate crèche

or filled with a delicate cream of roses , a new creation by Loison)

A new delicate rose filled at Loison charming store

A new delicate rose filled at Loison charming store

So many novelties, updated ideas, unexpected surprises…
Impossible to mention all of them.
Of course a lot of show cooking including TV Star Chef Carlo Cracco
  who reinvented the legendary San Carlo potato chip,

Chef Carlo Cracco performing

Chef Carlo Cracco performing

Cracco's creations on chips

Cracco’s creations on chips

IMG_0514 copy Surgital Divine Creazioni where served in a spectacular all purple restaurant, quite a tribute to Prince’s Purple Rain. IMG_0512 copy

To my opinion, was a real journey created by
Chef  Moreno Cedroni,

Stellar Chef Moreno Cedroni with his purple team

Stellar Chef Moreno Cedroni with his purple team

who introduced the Mammoli of Patata Viola (purple potato),

Mammoli of Patata Viola

Mammoli of Patata Viola by Moreno Cedroni. With sweet mash potatoes, sesame milk, purple cabbage sauerkraut,creamed salt cod, liquidised parsey.

then le Violette to the Bartlàz, a traditional piadina tortello filled of squacquerone cheese of the Romagna region, that you can simply prepare just grilling for a couple of minutes,

Surgital Bartlàz, a traditional piadina tortello

Surgital Bartlàz, a traditional piadina tortello

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Cooking FINI without water

No water as well, for the
newest tortellini Fini
just throw them in a pan, a glass of water and your favorite sauce.

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Chef Daniele Persegani

The Consorzio Prociutto Parma hosted Chef Daniele Persegani who filled different bread including a tomato bread) with prosciutto di Parma,

Talking of prosciutto…
i did try so may and soooo excellent ones, that I am satisfied for the rest of the year!
One for all , I ‘d like to mention the Langhirano based Pio Tosini
who served an amazing 30 months old prosciutto di Parma

30 months old prosciutto by Langhirano based Pio Tosini.

30 months old prosciutto by Langhirano based Pio Tosini.

More prosciutto? Let’s go with the San Daniele, actually San Dan,

San Dan also produces a tasty speck

San Dan also produces a tasty speck

a factory located in Friuli that also produces a tasty speck.

Many healthy amazing novelties such as ActiLemon,mini doses of bio lemon to drink in the morning with warm water
or Likion yellow pumpkin added to Itaian Goji.
Forget the diet and indulge with Burro De Paoli, I adored the salted one,

Burro De Paoli, I loved the salted one

Burro De Paoli, I loved the salted one

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Chef Mario Gismudo.delicious cheesecake

I also love to mention the cheese cake of Chef Mario Gismudo.
Finally, the ‘magnificent seven’…are back.!
This time they are seven friends producers and interpreters of the most virtuous Italian gastronomy.They named themselves UNICI (the uniques)

The Unici

A ‘The magnificent Seven’  Unici

: La Via Del Tè  a florentine company pioneering the culture of tea,

Teatime in Florence with La Via Del Tè

Teatime in Florence with La Via Del Tè

Il Borgo Del Balsamico balsamic vinegar, launching the trendy pocktable balsamic a porter, Mattei Biscuits established in believe it or not…1858 and famous for its
almond cantuccini , Pasta Mancini artisan pasta made from durum wheat,
La Nicchia
capers and other products from beautiful Pantelleria Island Savini Truffles a family tradition started in Tuscany back in 1920, Ursini Extra Vergin Olive Oil
among some unique yummy sauces.
CIBUS will enchante its visitors Until May 12th. The event is easily accessible thanks to the free bus (pretty crowded but still happily chaotic), which runs every 15 minutes connecting the center of Parma and the train station with the fair.

Il Borgo Del Balsamico lunches a rendy pocktable balsamic to go

Il Borgo Del Balsamico launches a trendy pocktable balsamic to go

One day ticket 45 euro, two days 80 euro, 4 days 95 euro.
Not cheap, I know but believe me, it’s totally worth!.
All info at www.cibus.it

 

 

 

United to Dance equals Dance to Unite

Dance to Unite
One Way or Another
featuring live music from Debbie Harry.dbDance to Unite, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use dance as a vehicle to teach and to celebrate cultural diversity.The evening will be a celebration of artistic excellence and cultural diversity to benefit Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 18.15.14Dance to Unite’s expanding free after-school dance and education programs.  This year, Dance to Unite proudly honors Jenny Morgenthau, who recently retired after 32 years as the Executive Director of the Fresh Air Fund.  As part of the celebration, students of Dance to Unite will perform to music icon and Blondie lead singer, Debbie’s biggest hits live.
Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 6pm at The World School Chelsea, 259 Tenth Avenue, NYC,

A swan lake…like you never saw before

Screen Shot 2016-04-28 at 10.51.04Put together the “Swan Song ” a vaudeville by Chekhov about an old actor in a
theatre after the lights go out, the eternal music of Tchaikovsky,
the genially irreverent choreography and direction by Fabrizio Monteverde
and a bunch of older, aching, curved dancers who want to live one more time the tragic love story
of Prince Siegfried and Odette/Odile. 14568The result is an amazing new version of one of the most celebrated ballet in the history The Swan Lake,
this time retitled Il Lago dei Cigni ovvero il Canto.Lago-dei-Cigni-02-1030x686 A contemporary ballet that ancient dancers remember and recreate with enormous love and pain.
From an amazing opening with all the dancers/swans lied down on ground covered with colored
cloths of the scene, while only their raised arms are moving as swan necks to the Odette’s
solo, first pure purity and then more and more disjointed and bloodless revealing physical stress and despair to an intense finale where topless Odette frees her body and her beauty to revive the lost youth.anteprima_20150119010513-1030x688Soloists  Roberta De Simone, Claudia Vecchi, Luca Pannacci and Siro Guglielmi, among all the artists of the Balletto di Roma certainly know how give to the audience some emotional, intense, unforgettable moments.
At Teatro Carcano till April 30thLago-dei-Cigni-03-1030x579

OH NOOO…STARBUCKS OPENS IN MILAN

Starbucks arrives. In Milan. It’s official

1024px-Starbucks_Coffee_Logo.svgThe first Italian Starbucks will open in early 2017, in downtown Milan.

 

 

The “bad” news was recently announced in Milan by Howard Schultz,
the great chief of the Seattle giant.
The address is secret, but allegedly Starbucks will open in other Italian cities during the year.images                                                      Apparently the Italian Starbucks will “pay tribute to Italian culture” (yeah sure) arton34427-1and will serve “with great humility” a coffee blend
created especially for the Milanese tastes.

originalGet ready for those ugly “frapuccino” and those artificially flavoured “latte”….
Like the Italians needed another McDonalds invasion…

 

 

HIDDEN UNDERGROUND JEWEL IN MILAN

45741-Cripta_Santo_SepolcroMilan, exactly in the spot that a Leonardo‘s drawing described as an ideal center of the plant in the city,  it was reopened to the public the impressive underground church of Santo Sepolcro. Here it was built a copy of the alleged “tomb of Christ”, was brought here the land of Jerusalem after the First Crusade.
Here Saint Carlo Borromeo came to pray.
Milan returns to show its history and its beauty.

See the 360 video
https://youtu.be/JVPVqssdO6c

 

 

Welcome to a dream! Roberto Bolle takes the Scala into a magic garden.

Il Giardino degli Amanti (The Lovers’ Garden ) is a new creation at the La Scala Theatre, Milan that should be considered one of the first 2016 tribute to the 225th anniversary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s disappearance. quadro-1-2--rDirected from former dancer Massimiliano Volpini, whos previous collaboration with ètoile Roberto Bolle, led him to create solos, pas de deux and one lucky multimedia project and finally this new work, which sees the Roberto dancing with La Scala Ballet.

There is a party at the villa.
In the garden, a chamber orchestra plays Mozart’s wonderful quartets and quintets. 12 elegant guests dance and have fun.Their moves are modern and quite contemporary.
(I visioned some West Side Story jumpsand even a “let’s twist” attitude) .giardino-amanti2

Among then a beautiful couple

7e8061048f3704aa8f1a9f5367f9b5111The man blindfolds the woman and takes her to hidden places. Soon the the labyrinths of the maze are populated by Mozart’s Commedia dell’Arte iconic characters such as Figaro, Count Almaviva, Rosina and Susanna, Don Giovanni and Leporello, Fiordiligi, Dorabella, Ferrando and Guglielmo.3-11-550x375 The couple gets lost in the maze and will find himself at the end, transformed by the Queen of the Night (Marta Romagna) who is leading young people within this world and make their metamorphosis. I loved the remarkable Bolle’s solo, while is using his jacket as a dance partner among the intense pas de deux between Roberto and Nicoletta Manni wearing an amazingly beautiful aerial tutu.b92e7e3015cbb507b7ba80b807b07eeb                                    With lightness and irony this journey into Mozart’s nod to ‘700 also in the sets and Erika Carretta‘s costumes (from classical characters to insects, fairies or dragonflies) who likes to spam from some graphic black- off white , to shades of blue and turquoise, to multicolored outfits. Grand finale with Mozart himself taking the stage while playing the piano in flowered platform..
Here the next performances,
featuring Roberto Bolle, Nicola del Freo, Virna Toppi and Martina Arduino)
April 15th Arduino, Del Freo
April 16th Toppi, Bolle,
April 17th Toppi, Bolle,
April 19th Arduino, Del Freo.

New York: GO WESTVILLE , A VEGETABLE PARADISE

New York
Years ago the Westville was born. A tiny restaurant in the Downtown area.200

Basic look, spartan furnishings and a large blackboard with the menu written by hand.

More than 30 dishes of vegetables, all centered on the healthy, fresh and of the season. The winning formula: a platter with four vegetables of your choice at only $ 15 and … eye on the board, when a vegetable is deleted, useless to ask for it. A hit.

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Now Westville is in Chelsea (246 W 18th St), Tribeca (333 Hudson St) West Village (210 W 10) and East Village (173 Av A).

Reservations are not accepted and waiting time may be long, but I assure you, it’s worth it.
ENJOY HEALTHY FOOD!Screen Shot 2016-04-06 at 00.03.36

Among my favorites, quinoa salad, kale and leeks, marinated tofu and delicious mint lemonade

Salads

Westville’s salads are big and cut right to the point without getting too cute. You can add and subtract from the salad ingredients, and they don’t get pissed about it, which is always a plus. Definitely go with chicken over the steak as your protein. Favorites include: Westville Cobb, the Greek Salad, and a frequent lunch special, the Chopped Salad, which is a well-dressed, hearty mix of vegetables like cauliflower, kale, brussels sprouts, and broccoli. Get it with blackened chicken.

Market Vegetables

Westville always has twenty plus options available on their “Market” menu. Pick four, and you’ve got one of the best vegetarian meals in town. Favorites include: Brussels Sprouts in Dijon, Soy-Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Sesame Seeds, Sautéed Kale with Shallots, Mushrooms with Leeks, and, of course, their Sweet Potato Fries, which are ridiculous.

The fabulous harmonies of the Marinetti Sisters

imageLe Sorelle Marinetti is the name of an Italian swing singer trio starring Nicola Olivieri, Andrea Allione and Marco Lugli, three males singers in travesti.The Marinettis grounded their repertoire on the hits of another singing trio, the Lescano, three sisters singing in the close harmony style of the Andrews Sisters, who rised to great popularity, After roaming Europe, they arrived in the 1930s in Turin, which was the heart of the Italian radio world, where they were discovered by a local talent scout. In no time, they sold 100,000 records and even Mussolini – Il Duce – was among their fans.
The new show is called La Famiglia Canterina created by Giorgio Bozzo,o featuring the guest singers Valentina Gullace, Jacopo Bruno and the band with Christian Schmitz piano, Adalberto Ferrari clarinet, and Francesco Giorgi, violin.With charm and catching notes the Marinettis dust some of the Lescano’s hits out such as “Ma le gambe”, “Tulipan, “Maramao”, “Pinguino innamorato”
Let me tell you, tthose girls rock! Actually those girls…swing!
April 7-10 at Teatro Gioiello, Turin

 

REMEMBER MY NAME! After 35 years FAME comes back.

FamePageFAME is back!
Fame, Saranno Famosi, the Musical
is coming to Milan
at Barclays Teatro Nazionale.
The electrifying show, inspired to the legendary movie that opened 35 years ago, provides an open look at the New York City’s High School of Performing Arts, where sweat and hard work are the key factors to a successful life as a performer.
The plot follows a group of students across the acting, dancing and music faculties from 1980-1984 as they learn to master their craft and grow up alongside each other, rising to the various challenges that face them.Fame-12-1
The new version, directed by Federico Bellone reserves to its audience a nice surprise: every evening 10 people from the public, will be hosted on stage as part of the Auditorium of Fame School.
For more info
http://www.teatronazionale.it/tutti-gli-spettacoli/fame-saranno-famosi

 

Learn how to cook, to drink, to eat…in “green” paradise

Screen Shot 2016-04-29 at 09.02.33It’s called “Food & Drink Sensorial Cooking Seminar” .
Four (or six, for the luckier ones) days at the Agriturismo Podere Santo Stefano,Tuscany. In the middle of a breathtaking landscape, located in the heart of the Maremma, the italian sommelier Diana Zerilli among other Chefs, will hosts a guided seminar that includes: cooking lessons, tasting of the prepared plates, combination food & drink, Maremma’s extravirgin olive oil tasting, guided tour of the wine cellar and the oil mill in addition to Dinner with special menu combined with oil tasting.dieta-mediterranea.jpg-okThe lessons, who’s topics are Tuscany cuisine
Hand made pasta, Game, and Middle age cuisine, will take place from 10.00 a.m. to 12.30 a.m. – lunch break – than from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Screen Shot 2016-04-29 at 09.03.18At the end of the course you will receive a participation certificate
and the recipes of the different prepared plates.
This is the perfect place to spend a relaxing holiday,
nearby very interesting and cultural places.
Daily fee: 380 € ( includes accommodation, international breakfast buffet, cooking lessons, wine tasting, welcome dinner, certificate.) vinoDaily fee without seminar participation: 150 € ( includes accommodation, international breakfast buffet, wine tasting). Minimum participants : 4 persons. Payment: 50% at registration, 50% on the 1st seminar day.Screen Shot 2016-04-29 at 09.01.01May 6/8, June 24/26, July 16/18, Aug 12/14, Sept 23/25
.For information, dates and registrations: zerillisommelier@gmail.com.
Ph + 39 345.38.91.151

Chic, Tasty & Sparkling? Berlucchi Lounge at Duomo !

Milan, April 6th Berlucchi from 7.30 pm at Mercato Duomo IMG_9347 copy
Davide
Oltolini IMG_9356 copywill host a wine tasting featuring the classic
Brut, Rosee and Saten Franciacorta Berlucchi ’61,
and including the new Nature, with five exquisite dishes large tapas like,IMG_9337 copy spanning from cold cuts, to veggies, to cheeses that representing
the Italian excellence in the world of gastronomy. IMG_9344 copy
The event will take place in the beautiful Franciacorta Lounge
right on Piazza Duomo.IMG_9348 copyIMG_9345 copy35 EurosIMG_9336 copy

Easter Colomba and Italian wines classes by Diana

Colomba is a traditional Italian Easter yeast bread. It is shaped like a dove (colomba in Italian), the symbol of peace and resurrection.Soft and fragrant, colomba is a generous cake with butter and eggs, filled with raisins and candied orange peel.20160229_145836-1024x576The colomba could mean not only a peace message but also solidarity. Like in the case of the artisanal Colomba Arcobaleno (Rainbow Dove)  created by the Milanese sommelier Diana Zerilli  who supports gay rights and gay issues in Italy, such as marriage and child adoption. Her colomba is made with Sicilian Avola almonds, Calabria cedar, kneaded with Vernaccia Mormoraia, a traditional white wine from San Gimignano,d zerilli

Beside food, Diana passion  and expertise is (of course) wine. Twice a week, she gives classes and wine tasting at Hotel Rubens in Milan.

Each class will introduce an Italian region, with its local wines and food.

Here the current calendar
March 10th Wines from Valle d’Aosta
March 17th Wines from Veneto and Diana’s Chiantigno drink tasting
March 22th Wines fron Piemonte.
Classes will continue in April, after Easter Holidays.

vino

 

Each class costs 35 Euros.
If you are interested, you can contact Diana at zerillisommelier@gmail.com

Destination: Cirkopolis. Cirque Éloize conquers Milan

Screen Shot 2016-02-18 at 08.23.47An amazing, long journey is taking away the audience of Teatro Arcimboldi in Milan.
The voyage is guided by the spectacular cast, music, lights, and visual effect created by the Cirque Éloize Cirkopolis, a nearly two hour show directed by Jeannot Painchaud and Dave St-Pierre. It starts off with a back projection of a dreary factory populated by a crowd of people in grey overcoats designed by Liz Vandal,
while an employer is constantly stamping documents at his office desk. It reminded me of a scene of the recent movie Anna Karenina as well as Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and the underground world of Fritz Lang’s  Metropolis. The amazing video screen by Alexis Laurence follow the action with an intense zooming through buildings or tunnels, giving us the feeling of moving through space. Cirkopolis is taking us to forests, machines, buildings and finally a black and white circus tent.The 10 member extraordinary cast of acrobats and dancers use ropes, trapeze, a Chinese pole, teeter-board German wheel  in a variety of different acts that are pretty astonishing to behold. Screen Shot 2016-02-18 at 09.35.49One of the most touching moment is a romantic and unexpected pas de deux with a male dancer and a woman dress on a hanger. The great music by Stefan Boucher and the active choreography created by Dave St Pierre follow and animate constantly the show, like a modern ballet interacting with the  balancing acts.
At Teatro Arcimboldi till February 24th