Radioavela e i Mille marinai, a concert by Maestro Giuseppe Maria Ficara performing on guitar accompanied by the soprano Suzan Harvey (In Italian and English) 

7.00 pm, Thursday 10 February 2011 at the IIC

A presentation of the overland journey that will take Emiliano Grasso from Melbourne to Rome to promote a cosmopolitan and multicultural awareness in the community, understood as a community of world citizens. After the talk Maestro Giuseppe Maria Ficara will perform on guitar accompanied by soprano Suzan Harvey. The program features features works by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643), Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829), Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (Firenze 1895- Beverly Hills 1968), Adriano Cirillo (1951), Francesco Paolo Tosti (Ortona, 9 aprile 1846 - Roma, 2 dicembre 1916). "A vucchella"(based on a text by Gabriele D'Annunzio in Neapolitan) for voice and guitar and the Sicilian song "E vui durmiti ancora" (for voice and guitar) by Cali-Formisano will also be performed.

A St Valentine's Day Special with

Kate Holden  

The Romantic: A year of la vita bella and la vita brutta in Italy (In English)

7.00 pm, Monday 14 February 2011 at the IIC

Kate's dreams of Europe and poetry sustained her through dark years as a drug addict, as portrayed in her first book In My Skin. In The Romantic Kate finally gets back to Rome but love and romance are not so easy to locate in a pilgrimage to find sunlight, truth, and herself. On this occasion she will present her latest novel as part of the monthly IIC Talks series.

Viva Verdi!

(In Italian)

Friday 18 February - Saturday 19 February 2011

at Melbourne Town Hall 

Victorian Opera presents the much loved works of Giuseppe Verdi in concert - with Viva Verdi! These two spectacular concerts, sung in Italian, will feature the impassioned arias, eloquent choruses and dramatic ensembles of Verdi's great operas including Il trovatore and La traviata as well as a few surprises. Hear the grandeur of Verdi's music in concert, sung by the much acclaimed 60 voice Victorian Opera Chorus, with Orchestra Victoria.

10% off full priced A Reserve tickets are available and there are further discounts for IIC Members.

Click Here For Further Information 

Tango y nada mas (In Italian and English)

7.00 pm, Thursday 24 February 2011

at the IIC  

A concert by Italian guitarist Massimo Scattolin and violinist Jo Beaumont. After a number of lessons with Andres Segovia and Alirio Diaz, Massimo Scattolin began his concert career as a soloist, since developing his chamber music and orchestral activities to include some of the best-known concertos for guitar and orchestra. Composers such as Astor Piazzolla and Violet Archer have written music for him. He regularly takes part in national and international festivals and is the first Italian guitarist to have held master classes at the "Mozarteum" in Salzburg. He has released several recordings, both as a soloist and in collaboration with famous musicians as Giuliano Carmignola, Julius Berger, Roberto Fabbriciani, the Amati quartet, and the famous group from Cuba "Grupo Compay Segundo - Buena Vista Social Club".

The program features works for a duo and solo guitar all inspired by tango. Music by Astor Piazzolla, the king of "nuevo tango", and other composers such as Roland Dyens will be performed. Massimo Scattolin, who has lived for some time in Buenos Aires and is in contact with the most celebrated tango musicians, will also perform his own works.