ITALIAN TIMES
THE
Published 11 times annually by the Italian
Community Center
631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202
www.ICCMilwaukee.com
FEBRUARY 2016 • VOL. 37 NO. 8
– CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED –
Dance the night away
with the Doo-Wop
Daddies on Feb. 13
Get on your dancing shoes and
enjoy the greatest rock and roll hits
of the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s with the
legendary Doo-Wop Daddies at the
Italian Community Center’s Winter
Rock and Roll Blast on Saturday,
Feb. 13.
Doors to the Pompeii Grand
Ballroom will open at 6 p.m. with
the Doo-Wop Daddies taking the
stage from 7 to 10:30 p.m.
Admission prices are $15 in
advance and $20 at the door.
Advance tickets are available now
at the ICC front office. You can also
order them by calling 414-223-2180
and using a credit card or by filling
out the form accompanying this
article and sending it with your
payment to ICC, 631 E. Chicago
St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Event
flyers with ticket order forms are
also available at the ICC.
Your advance tickets will be
available at a will call window the
evening of the show.
This event, which is expected to
attract a full house, is a fundraiser
for the nonprofit ICC.
An optional Italian dinner buffet
will be available in the ballroom
starting at 6 p.m. The price will be
$12.95 per person. Those purchasing the buffet will be issued a
wristband. There will be full bar
service available all night.
Another dining option on the
evening of the show is ICC’s Cafe
La Scala, which will be open starting at 5 p.m.
The Doo-Wop Daddies, who last
Please turn to page 5
PASTE ADDRESS LABEL HERE.
La Befana meets, greets
and gives gifts to the
children at ICC party
The legend of La Befana was celebrated for the 14th consecutive year at
the Italian Community Center at a luncheon event for children (really,
children of all ages). La Befana, the Epiphany Eve gift-bearing witch of
Italian folklore, journeyed to the ICC on Saturday, Jan. 9. Each child had
a chance to meet and even give a big hug to La Befana. In turn, she presented them with gifts and candy which she brought with her from Italy.
Here, a youngster named Francesca is shown hugging La Befana. The kids
also got to decorate their own Christmas cookie and kids of all ages had a
chance to make their own ice cream sundaes with a variety of delicious
toppings. Several more photos and a report from the party can be found
on pages 10 and 11. (Times photo by Tom Hemman)
Carnevale awaits all those
who want to celebrate
The Doo-Wop Daddies. (Photo provided by Mike Sturino)
Evening of Italian tradition, merrymaking set for Feb. 6
By Thomas Hemman
Times Editor
Cast aside your burdens for one
spectacular night as the Italian
Community Center celebrates its
37th annual Il Grande Carnevale
on Saturday, Feb. 6.
Show your creative side by
wearing a costume or mask. Dance
the night away. Be treated to a fabulous double-entrée dinner and a
tantalizing sweet table.
Be a witness to the tradition and
pageantry that includes a coronation of royalty, a gleeful parade of
those in costume and mask, spectacular fireworks and a few surprises that are sure to add to the
excitement of the evening.
Organizers hope that all of the
pomp and circumstance will make
you shout “Viva Il Carnevale!”
In fact, “Viva Il Carnevale”
(“Long Live Carnevale”) is the
theme for the Italian Community
Center’s 37th annual Il Grande
Carnevale. Saluting the traditions
of the past and the hope of the
future, Carnevale will bring together generations of families and
friends for a celebration that no one
should want to miss.
The fun begins at 5:11 p.m. in
the galleria with a cocktail reception (cash bar). The Italian
Conference Center’s renowned hors
d’oeuvres will be served.
Guests will be called into the
Pompeii Grand Ballroom at 6:11
p.m. for the start of the program
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and dinner.
The dinner will feature a combination entrée of chicken Roma and
a petite filet mignon. There will be
bottles of wine at each table to
enjoy with the meal. The table wine
is courtesy of Sal and Marie
Purpora (who the ICC has
bestowed the honor of royalty as
you will read in this article).
After dinner comes the program
that co-chairs Joanne Czubek and
Rosemary DeRubertis say will be “a
combination of exciting entertainment, colorful pageantry and tradition.”
Tradizione Vivente, the Italian
Dance Group of Milwaukee, and I
Bei Bambini, the Children’s Italian
Please turn to page 6
Cosa c’è dentro?
What’s inside?
President’s message
Come to St. Joseph’s
Day luncheon
Bring your children
to Festa di Pasqua
Interested in ICC’s
Italian classes?
Defining Carnevale
Italy’s No. 1 hits
page 2
page 3
page 4
page 4
page 7
page 8
Italian organizations
doing good deeds in
the community
page 12
Crossword puzzle
page 13
Members news
page 19
Sezione Italiane pagine 16-17
Mike Piazza elected
to Baseball’s Hall
of Fame
page 20
A message from Giuseppe Vella,
Italian Community Center President
I hope everyone has recuperated
from the holiday season and can
now find the time to help the
Italian Community Center prosper
and grow in the new year.
The first thing you can do is to
renew your membership. Renewing
a membership is a sign that you
truly support the ICC and believe
in what the organization represents.
You can attend our upcoming
functions such as the 37th annual
Il Grande Carnevale on Saturday,
Feb. 6, the Winter Rock and Roll
Blast on Saturday, Feb. 13, the
24th annual St. Joseph’s Day
luncheon on Friday, Mar. 18 and
the 21st annual “A Taste of Italy”
on Sunday, Apr. 17. Carnevale, the
Rock and Roll Blast and Taste of
Italy are fundraisers for our organization. Carnevale, the St. Joseph’s
Day luncheon and “A Taste of Italy”
celebrate our heritage.
You can help out as a volunteer
at the St. Joseph’s Day luncheon
and “A Taste of Italy.”
Those of you who have the
financial ability, please consider
supporting Carnevale, the St.
Joseph’s Day luncheon and “A
Taste of Italy” with a cash donation.
I want to acknowledge Joanne
Czubek and Rosemary DeRubertis
and their committee for all the
hard work they are putting into
Carnevale.
I know Mary Winard, St.
Joseph’s Day luncheon chair, and
Ann Romano, Taste of Italy chair,
are working tirelessly to make their
events successful. Your attendance,
volunteerism and financial support
can help to make it happen.
Before you know it, Festa
Italiana will be here. The dates are
Friday, July 22 through Sunday,
July 24. I’m sure some of you are
wondering why Festa isn’t taking
place during its usual third weekend in July. Here’s the answer:
Summerfest 2016 runs through
Sunday, July 10 and there is
always a week-and-a-half period
between the end of Summerfest
and the start of Festa. That is the
case again this year. Had Festa
continued to have been a four-day
event, the festival would have
opened on the third Thursday.
Since the decision was made to
reduce Festa to a three-day event,
we had not run into the situation of
a fourth Friday opening. That is
until now..
I can tell you that planning for
our 39th annual Festa is well
underway. Stay tuned for all the
details.
Upcoming 2016
ICC events
– Giuseppe Vella
ICC President
ICC’s 37th annual “Il Grande
Carnevale”
Saturday, Feb. 6
5:11 p.m. – 12:11 a.m.
Details and reservation form in
this issue.
ICC’s Winter Rock and Roll
Blast
Featuring the Doo-Wop Daddies
Saturday, Feb. 13
6 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. – 10:30
p.m. show. Optional buffet starting
at 6 p.m. Details and reservation
form in this issue.
ICC’s 24th annual St. Joseph’s
Day Luncheon
Friday, Mar. 18
Noon – 1:30 p.m.
Details and reservation form in
this issue.
ICC’s Children’s Easter party
Saturday, Mar. 19
Noon – 2 p.m.
Details and reservation form in
Open 10a.m. – 6:00p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
Closed Sunday and Monday
Located in the Park & Shop
13425 Watertown Plank Road, Suite #7
Elm Grove, WI 53122 /( 262) 923-7166
www.FaziosChocolates.com
“The original one and only Fazio’s
gondola sailing in for Valentine’s Day!
Makes a great gift for your amorè!
Gondola contains Fazio’s delicious
signature line of chocolates!”
“Like” us on Facebook
Best Wishes to Il Grande Carnevale. See our ad
in the Carnevale program book.
PAGE 2 – FEBRUARY 2016
this issue.
ICC’s 21st annual “A Taste of
Italy”
Sunday, Apr. 17
11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Details in this issue.
ICC’s 39th annual Festa
Italiana
Friday, July 22 – Sunday, July 24
Henry W. Maier Festival Park
(Summerfest Grounds)
ICC’s 3rd annual Casino Night
Friday, Sept. 9
ICC’s 2nd annual Holiday
Boutique
Saturday, Nov. 19
THE ITALIAN TIMES
631 E. Chicago St.
Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916
(414) 223-2180
Published 11 times annually
Publisher . . . Italian Community Center
ICC President . . . . . . . . .Giuseppe Vella
Newspaper Committee
Chairman . . . . . . . . . . . . Blaise DiPronio
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas Hemman
Advertising Sales
Manager . . . . . . . . . . . .Thomas Hemman
Advertising Sales
Representative . . . . . . Faye Ann Kessler
Editorial Contributors, Reporters
and Columnists . . . . . . .Blaise Di Pronio,
Angela Castronovo, Donato Di Pronio,
Barbara Collignon, Roberto Ciampi,
and the late Mario A. Carini
Staff Photographers. . . . . . .Joe Spasiano,
and Tom Hemman
For advertising information, please call
(414) 223-2180 or send an e-mail to:
[email protected].
Copyright 2016
The Italian Community Center, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
All advertisements must be in accordance
with the rules and requirements as determined by editorial policy. Paid advertisements are not to be interpreted as an
endorsement by the Italian Community
Center or its newspaper, The Italian Times.
In addition, the Newspaper Committee
reserves the right to reject ads based on editorial policy approved by the Board of
Directors of the Italian Community Center.
The Italian Community Center is a member of the Metropolitan Milwaukee
Association of Commerce, Visit Milwaukee
and the Historic Third Ward Association.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Celebrate St. Joseph’s Day at ICC
luncheon on Friday, Mar. 18
In keeping with its long-standing recognition of the Feast Day of
St. Joseph, the Italian Community
Center is proud to announce its
annual St. Joseph’s Day luncheon,
which, this year, will be held on
Friday, Mar. 18 at noon.
Both ICC members and nonmembers are invited to attend. The
costs are set at $17 per member
and $20 per non-member.
Reservations, required by Monday,
Mar. 14, can be made by filling out
the form below and sending in a
check or money order to the ICC,
631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI
53202. They also can be made by
calling the ICC at 414-223-2180
and making your payment with a
credit card.
Flyers for the event, with a
reservation form, can also be completed to make reservations.
Program details
“Our celebration – the 24th
annual – will serve as a joyous preview to the actual observance of St.
Joseph’s Day, which is Mar. 19,”
said chairperson Mary (Mineo)
Winard.
ICC Chaplain Fr. Tim Kitzke,
Pastor of Three Holy Women
Parish and other east side and
downtown Milwaukee churches,
will be present for the invocation,
perform the blessing of the beautifully decorated altar as well as all
of the attendees and the bread and
fruit bags that each person will
receive at the close of the luncheon.
ICC President Giuseppe Vella
will welcome attendees and act as
master of ceremonies.
As in past years, pianist John
Puchner is volunteering to play
Italian songs and music appropriate for the occasion during the serving of the lunch.
The St. Joseph’s Day tradition
includes a meatless meal. Winard
reports that the ICC menu for the
observance will include pasta con
sarde e finocchio (pasta with sardines and fennel), eggplant artichokes, tossed salad with grapefruit, Italian bread and coffee, tea
or milk. There will be a special
dessert.
“We hope to see all of you who
have been so faithful in attending
our past St. Joseph’s Day celebrations at this year’s luncheon,”
Winard said. “We look forward to
seeing you with many more firsttime guests.”
St. Joseph’s Day tradition
St. Joseph’s Day is marked with
celebrations across Italy. The lateICC Historian Mario A. Carini said
Sicilian immigrants, who followed
the observance in their hometowns,
brought the tradition with them
when they settled in Milwaukee
starting in the late 1880s.
The subject has also been written about by Professor/Cavaliere
Philip J. DiNovo, president of the
American
Italian
Heritage
Association of Albany, N.Y. In an
article on the organization’s website (www.aiha-albany.org), DiNovo
wrote: “In the Middle Ages, according to tradition, there was a severe
drought that destroyed most vegetation and left many people in
western Sicily dying of starvation.
People began to pray to St. Joseph
asking him to ask the Lord for rain.
They promised if the rains came
that they would honor St. Joseph
for his intercession and perpetually
honor him on March 19.
“At the stroke of midnight, the
Lord sent the rain; it was on this
day the prayers were heard. The
people had water, the vegetation
turned green, and there were fish
for the fishermen. The St. Joseph
altars are based on this traditional
legend, which has been handed
down from one generation to the
next.”
Please turn to page 5
The ICC presents the St. Josephʼs Day Luncheon
Friday, Mar. 18 • Reservation Form
Name(s): ___________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________
City: _________________________________ State: ________________
2663 N. Holton St., Milwaukee
Scarvaci Florists & Gift Shoppe
Your Wedding and Holiday
Floral & Gift Headquarters
Balloons • Stuffed Animals • Personal Service
Citywide, Suburban & County Delivery
Visa • MasterCard • American Express • Discover
PLEASE ORDER EARLY TO GUARANTEE DELIVERY!
Ann Vollmer-Goralski
414/562-3214
If no answer, please leave message.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Zip: ____________________ Phone: ____________________________
Number of ICC members attending: ___ @ $17.00 per person = $
Number of non-members attending: ___ @ $20.00 per person = $
Pre-paid reservations must be received by Monday, Mar. 14th.
Tables of 10 available. Please list the people at your table:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Weʼre attending and wish to make an additional donation to the event.
Besides my payment for reservations, Iʼm sending a $
contribution.
We are unable to attend, but wish to contribute $
tradition in the high standard of the past.
to continue this
Checks payable to: St. Josephʼs Luncheon. (One check preferable for
all at same table.) MAIL TO: Italian Community Center, Attn.: St.
Josephʼs Day Luncheon, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202.
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 3
Festa di Pasqua, an Easter carnival for
children, scheduled for Mar. 19 at ICC
By Rose Anne Fritchie
Plans are in motion for a funfilled children’s Easter party at the
Italian Community Center on
Saturday, Mar. 19, beginning at
noon. The Avanti Committee is
happy and excited to host this
year’s party, the theme for which
will be Festa di Pasqua, or Easter
Carnival.
We can assure all who attend
that it will be an entertaining,
“crazy good” time. The atmosphere
will be that of a carnival or county
fair and will be tons of fun for
everyone. As the children arrive,
they will be given tokens to be used
for the carnival games and the Ice
Cream & Popcorn Shoppe.
At noon, all guests are invited to
enjoy a delicious, buffet-style lunch
consisting of mini hamburgers,
mini corndogs, penne pasta, platters of healthy munchies like carrots, pickles, celery and fresh fruit.
There will be chocolate or white
milk for the youngsters and coffee
for adults. And for dessert, we
hope the carnival-goers stop at the
Ice Cream & Popcorn Shoppe for an
ice cream sundae and a sweet treat.
After lunch, the games
begin! The ballroom will be filled
with the sights and sounds of a festival, with carnival games such as
the Quarter Toss, Ring Toss,
Bowling Balls Push, Lollipop Pulls,
Topple the Cans, Bean Bag Toss,
and this year, because of the generosity of an anonymous ICC
ICC Childrenʼs Easter Party & Lunch Reservation Form
Names of boys attending
Saturday, March 19 • Noon to 2:00 p.m.
age
Names of girls attending
age
Name(s) of adult ICC members attending: _________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Number of children attending:
Number of adults attending:
Total amount enclosed: $
x $15.00 per member
=$
_ x $20.00 per person = $
Make your check payable to: Italian Community Center. Mail this form with your payment to:
ICC, Attn.: Easter Party, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Deadline: Mar. 16, 2016.
Member, SO MUCH MORE. The
children will also have an additional chance to win special prizes by
participating in the guessing jars
contest. Street artists will be
painting faces, and balloon hats
will be created for anyone interested in wearing a special Easter hat.
During the festivities, we anticipate a visit from the Easter Bunny
who will greet all of the children
and lead them in a parade through
the carnival. The children are welcome to wear their new hats and
fill the room with the joyous noise
of their musical instruments. The
parade will end at the stage where
the Easter Bunny will have treats
for all youngsters to take home.
The costs are set at $15 per
child (ages 11 and under) and $20
per adult. To ensure that all chil-
dren receive their special treats,
only advance reservations will be
accepted. All pre-paid reservations
must be received by Wednesday,
Mar. 16. Attendance at this event
is limited to ICC members, their
children, grandchildren or greatgrandchildren.
Please use the form accompanying this article to make your reservations.
This spring, the Italian
Community Center will offer an
introductory class (Italian I) as well
as an Italian II class, both starting
Tuesday, Mar. 8.
Both courses will be held on 10
consecutive Tuesday nights, with
the final classes on May 10.
Instructor Enrica Tarantino
Woytal described Italian I as being
for those who want an introduction
to the language and the culture of
Italy. The introductory course will
run from 5:30 to 7:15 p.m.
The Italian II course will begin
at 7:30 p.m. and end at 9:15 p.m.
“Italian II is ideal for those who
have completed our introductory
course and are ready to learn more
about the language and culture of
Italy,” Tarantino Woytal said.
Enrollment is open to ICC mem-
bers and the general public. There
is a limit of 25 students per class.
The fee for each course is $100 for
an ICC member and $110 for a
non-member. The fee does not
include the course textbook.
Spring semester of
Free children’s
Italian classes for teens
Italian classes to
begin Mar. 19 at ICC and adults start Mar. 8
The spring semester of a free
weekly series of Italian classes for
children between the ages of 6 and
12 will begin Saturday, Mar. 19, at
the Italian Community Center. The
class, which runs from 2 to 4 p.m.,
will continue for eight weeks, with
the final session on May 7.
The course is intended to provide children with an introduction
to the Italian language and the culture of Italy. Besides learning some
basic words and the Italian alphabet, the children also make drawings for holidays and special occasions and receive a snack during
each Saturday session.
The instructor is Enrica
Tarantino Woytal, who also leads
the ICC’s Italian classes for teens
and adults. She was honored by
WisItalia as Wisconsin’s 2009
“Italian Teacher of the Year.”
Tarantino Woytal has been leading
the children’s class at the ICC since
the early 1980s. Over the years,
several hundred youngsters have
participated in the free class.
To register for the spring semester, please complete the form
accompanying this article and mail
it to: Children’s Italian Course, c/o
ICC, 631 E. Chicago St.,
Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916. Since
there is no enrollment fee, parents
can also register their children in
person any time during the semester.
For further information, contact
the ICC office at 414/223-2180, or
Enrica Tarantino Woytal or Pietro
Tarantino at 414/481-0170, or via
email at [email protected].
Free Children's Italian Course Registration Form
To register, complete the form
accompanying this article. Checks
or money orders are payable to the
Italian Community Center.
Registration will be accepted up to
the start of the Mar. 8 classes if the
enrollment limit has not been
reached. People can also stop in at
the ICC office, fill out the registration form and make their payment.
Tarantino Woytal began teaching children’s Italian classes at the
ICC more than 35 years ago. She
has been offering classes for adults
and teens for more than 30 years.
Registration form for
Italian I course & Italian II course
(For children ages 6-12)
at the Italian Community Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee
Name(s) ___________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________
City, State, Zip _____________________________________________________
Parent(s) Name _________________________________________
City ________________________ State _______ Zip ___________
Phone No.: ______________ Email__________________________
Children's Names & Ages: ________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Send this form to: Children's Italian Course, c/o ICC,
631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916.
PAGE 4 – FEBRUARY 2016
Address ___________________________________________________________
Phone No. ___________________Email _________________________________
I am (we are) enrolling in:
Italian I course Number of persons enrolling.
Italian II course Number of persons enrolling.
Course fee: ICC Member - $100.00; Non-Member - $110.00
Make payment to: Italian Community Center, and send to: ICC, c/o Italian Class,
631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916. Enrollment in each class is limited to the first 25 students who send in this registration form with full payment.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Thanks for your donations to ICC
The officers and directors of the
Italian Community Center wish to
thank and acknowledge all those
who pledged, fulfilled a pledge, or
contributed.
To obtain information on how to
make a donation, please call 414223-2808.
The following donations were
received between December 10,
2015 and January 8, 2016.
In memory of Peter Frank
Sorce
By his parents Peter T. and Kathy
M. Sorce and his sister Christine
Sorce
James and Marie Schwindt
In memory of Peter Machi, Sr.
Sam Purpero
Taste of Italy
details announced
Celebrate your love of Italian
food at the Italian Community
Center’s 21st annual “A Taste of
Italy” on Sunday, Apr. 17 from
11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Like past
years, both admission and parking will be free.
All food items – except calamari – will be available for one
ticket. You can purchase a single
ticket for $1.50 or a book of seven
tickets for $10. Calamari will
require two tickets.
Our Taste of Italy is an affordable family event that won’t break
the bank and you can enjoy an
abundance of delicious Italian
food and desserts. This is only
possible through the donations of
food and money from our soci-
eties, members and vendors.
“A Taste of Italy” is also the
only event where all stands are
operated by volunteers from our
societies and members of the ICC.
In February, I will be a sending out a letter to all of the societies, past presidents, vendors
and individuals asking them to
generously support our 21st annual Taste of Italy.
I’m pleased to report that Ted
Glorioso has donated a beautiful
lady’s diamond cocktail ring for
our Taste of Italy raffle.
With the help of our supporters
and volunteers, we can make our
Taste of Italy a big success.
– Ann Romano
Chairperson
Make plans to attend
St. Joseph’s Day luncheon
on Friday, Mar. 18 at ICC
from page 3
Today in Italy, St. Joseph’s Day
eaten on St. Joseph’s Day. Zeppole
is also known as Father’s Day. The
are deep-fried dough balls that are
day, which used to be a national
usually topped with powdered
holiday, is traditionally celebrated
sugar and may be filled with cuswith bonfires and sometimes pagtard, jelly, cannoli-style pastry
eants with scenes from the life of
cream or a butter and honey mixSt. Joseph. Children give gifts to
ture. In Rome, Naples and the
their fathers on San Giuseppe Day.
region of Sicily, these little pastries
Zeppole (or zeppoli in southern
are sold on many streets and are
Italian dialects) are traditionally
sometimes given as gifts.
Anna Rose Tarantino Sanfelippo
Otto & Marilyn Wolter
Scott & Michelle Cichacki
Sonny & Melody Gensler
In memory of Sarah Carrao
Carmen Schlotthauer
In memory of Ted Catalano, Sr.
Sam Purpero
Margaret M. Carini
Craig & Karen Lampe
In memory of Russ Enea
Sonny & Melody Gensler
Donations to the Thanksgiving
dinner for the less fortunate
(previously unreported in The
Italian Times).
Sal and Antonette Lo Coco
Doo-Wop Daddies to
play for Feb. 13 Winter
Rock and Roll Blast
from page 1
performed at the ICC on New
Year’s Eve, include Mike Sturino,
Mike Welch, Ryan Clark, Ben
Barnes and Mike Sorensen.
Based in Milwaukee, the DooWop Daddies capture the demanding vocal styles of doo-wop music
with unsurpassed excellence.
That’s only the beginning – the
group doesn’t merely recreate this
classic genre but has redefined it
and made it their own 21st century
doo-wop.
The group’s live shows attain
that ideal unity of masterful performance and entertainment.
Combining elements of vintage and
cutting edge musical technologies,
the Doo-Wop Daddies produce an
exciting theatrical show that
remains faithful to the doo-wop
style. Visit the group’s website:
www.doo-wopdaddies.com.
Joe Campagna, Jr, a past president of the ICC and current board
member, said the Feb. 13 show will
serve as an early kick-off to the
organization’s Courtyard Music
Series, which starts in June.
There will be no Cabin Fever or
Spring Fever Music Series this
year.
Winter Rock and Roll Blast Advance Ticket Order Form
Name(s) ________________________________________________
Address ________________________________________________
Phone _________________ Email Address ____________________
Number of people: _____ x $15.00 per person = $______________
Checks or money orders are payable to the Italian Community
Center. Send your payment with this form to: ICC, A$n: Feb. 13
show, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202. For ques#ons, call
414-223-2180. Advance #cket orders must be received by Feb. 10
or purchased at the ICC office by Feb. 12.
Calendar of Events
January 26 – February 24, 2016
Tuesday, Jan. 26
• Italian Community Center Culture Committee meeting, 6 p.m.
• Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO Board meeting, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 3
• Pompeii Women’s Club Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 6
• Italian Community Center hosts Il Grande Carnevale, 5:11 p.m.
Details in this issue.
• Abruzzese Galileo Galilei Society dinner, 6 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 8
• Italian Community Center Finance & Personnel Committee meeting,
6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 9
• Milwaukee Chapter UNICO National meeting, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 11
• Italian Community Center Board meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 13
• Rock and Roll Winter Blast with Doo-Wop Daddies, 7 p.m.
Details in this issue.
Wednesday, Feb. 17
• Order Sons of Italy in America/Filippo Mazzei Lodge Board
meeting, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Feb. 18
• Italian Community Center membership dinner, 5:30 p.m.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
• Italian Community Center general meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Feb. 23
• Italian Community Center Culture Committee meeting, 6 p.m.
• Milwaukee Ladies of UNICO Board meeting, 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 24
• Pompeii Women’s Club general meeting, 6:30 p.m.
Daily and weekly classes and activities
• Bocce leagues. Winter bocce leagues are underway with mixed leagues
on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights and seniors leagues on
Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. The championship playoffs will be
Monday, Mar. 7.
• ICC’s free Children’s Italian class. Spring semester starts on Saturday,
Mar. 19 and continues for 8 consecutive Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m.
Details in this issue.
• ICC Italian classes for teens and adults. Spring semester starts on
Tuesday, Mar. 8 and continues on Tuesday nights through May 10.
Italian I at 5:30 p.m. and Italian II at 7:30 p.m. Details in this issue..
• I Bei Bambini, The Children’s Italian Dance Group. This children’s folk
dance group practices weekly on most Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at the ICC.
New dancers welcome. For details, visit www.tradizionevivente.com.
• Tradizione Vivente, The Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee. This folk
dance group practices weekly on most Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the ICC. Visit
www.tradizionevivente.com for details. Ballate con noi! Dance with us!
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 5
Viva Il Carnevale – Saturday, Feb. 13
from page 1
Dance Group, will perform.
Highlighting the evening’s program will be the coronation of royalty. The worthy recipients of these
honors will be:
• Sal and Maria Purpora as Re
and Regina (King and Queen)
• Ray and Carol Martinez as
Nonno and Nonna (Grandfather
and Grandmother)
• Thomas Blaubach and Claire
Elliott as Principe and Principessa
(Prince and Princess)
• Charlie Bartolone and Isabella
Vella as Piccolo Principe and
Piccola Principessa (Junior Prince
and Junior Princess)
• John Alioto as Il Gran
Maresciallo (The Grand Marshal)
• Frank D’Amato as Il Vescovo
(The Bishop).
Articles on each of member of
the royalty appear in the January
issue.
Ready to fill the dance floor with
music for all ages will be Bill
Sargent’s Big Band. Sargent’s band
has long been known as “the tightest, most solid ensemble of expert
musicians Milwaukee may ever
see.”
The program will return with
the parade, led by Il Gran
Maresciallo John Alioto and the
royalty. The parade will allow
everyone who comes adorned in
costume and/or mask to march
before a panel of judges, who will
select the best in various categories. Winners will receive an
array of prizes.
As the judges complete their
scoring, Alioto will lead everyone
out of the ballroom into the loggia
(or for those who want to brave the
cold, outdoors) for the spectacular
Bartolotta Fireworks show, staged
across Chicago Street in a parking
lot.
After the show, everyone will be
invited to a scrumptious sweet
table in the galleria. Providing the
tantalizing variety of Italian treats
will be La Piccola Principessa
Isabella Vella, her family and Peter
Sciortino Bakery.
The band resumes for everyone’s
pleasure as people return to the
ballroom. The only other stoppage
of the music will come for the
awarding of costume and mask
prizes and the drawing of winners
for the Carnevale raffle. There will
be four cash prizes awarded: $500
for 1st prize, $300 for 2nd prize,
$100 for 3rd prize and $100 for 4th
prize. Raffle ticket prices will be $2
each or seven for $10.
As usual, the general public is
Deadline set for March
issue of The Italian Times
All advertising copy, news stories and photos for publication in
the March 2016 issue of The
Italian Times must be submitted
to the editor no later than
Tuesday, Feb. 9.
All materials can be emailed to
editor Tom Hemman at [email protected], sent to The
Italian Times, 631 E. Chicago St.,
Milwaukee, WI 53202. For further
information, call 414-223-2189.
Carnevale 2016 Reservation Form
Name(s) ____________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________
City, State, Zip _______________________________________________
Phone: _________________ Email: ______________________________
Please list the names of persons in your party
on a separate sheet of paper. Tables of 10 are available.
Number of ICC members attending: ______ x $55.00 = $
Number of non-members attending: ______ x $60.00 = $
Total amount of your check or money order: $
Please make your check or money order payable to: Italian Community
Center. Send payment and this form with the list of those in your party to:
Carnevale, c/o ICC, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916.
Reservation deadline: Jan. 31, 2016.
If you cannot attend Carnevale 2016, please consider making a donation to support this event. My/Our donation is : $_________________.
invited to join ICC members in
attendance. While the general public can revel in the festivities for
$60 per person, an ICC member
can partake for just $55.
Reservations are required by Jan.
31.
Your reservations can be made
by using the form accompanying
this article, in person at the ICC
front office during regular business
hours or by calling 414-223-2180
and having your credit card handy.
You may also pick up a Carnevale
flyer with a reservation form at
various locations throughout the
ICC.
There will be assigned seating.
Check in at the reservation table
during the social hour to get your
table assignment.
For the third straight year, the
Carnevale Committee is pleased to
announce that free valet parking
will be available that evening, The
drop off point is under the canopy
at the south entrance to the building, which makes it a short walk to
the registration table, the coat
check room and the galleria where
the festivities begin.
Whether you are attending
Carnevale or not, you can participate by buying tickets in the raffle
or making a tax-deductible donation to the ICC.
Donations to help cover the cost
of this event can be made the same
way as reservations by using the
form accompanying the article, in
person at the ICC, by filling out the
flyer found in the building or by
calling 414-223-2180 and using
your credit card.
Milwaukees Italians who served in the U.S.
Military during World War II – Part 9
Researched and written by the late Mario A. Carini,
Italian Community Center Historian
The information presented here was researched and
copyrighted as a historical record of the men and women of
Italian descent who lived in the City of Milwaukee and
served in the United States Military during World War II.
The information recorded and documented by this
researcher from records kept at the Milwaukee County
Historical Society and the City of Milwaukee Legislative
Reference Bureau. These works were copyrighted in 2004
and an original copy has been placed in the repository at
the United States Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
The research was secured from City of Milwaukee Directories 1941,
1942 and 1944-45. No directory was published in 1943. The years 1944
and 1945 were combined into one directory.
Name
Figarino, Joe
Figarino, Tom
Fimiano, John
Fimiano, John B.
Fiori, Eugene
Fiorina, Charles
Flessate, Clarence
Fontanazza, JOe
Formo, Peter
Fortino, Anthony
Fortunato, Joe
Fortunato, Joe A.
Fote, Frank
Foti, Santo M.
Foti, Steven
Foti, Steven
Fraggazo, Rocco
Fragale, Ross
Frana, Louis
Francisco, Jim, Jr.
Franco, Erwin
Fregapane, Basilio
Fricano, Charlie
Frinzi, Romeo
PAGE 6 – FEBRUARY 2016
Branch
Army
Navy
Navy
Navy
Army
Coast Guard
Marines
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Navy
Navy
Army
Army
Army
Army
Navy
Address
1436 N. Milwaukee
1436 N. Milwaukee
131 W. Mineral
814 W. Bruce
1429 W. Highland
2307 S. Logan
1852 N. 11th St.
2168 N. 58th St.
835 S. 16th St.
1662 N. Jackson
1530A N. Cass
1678 N. Marshall
532 E. Detroit
430 N. 31st St.
1526 N. Van Buren
2429 S. Wentworth
1025 E. Hamilton
1754 N. Humboldt
2615 N. Cramer
3065 N. 6th St.
610 N. 53rd St.
3136 N. Humboldt
175 N. Jefferson
626 E. Detroit
Frinzi, Tom
Frinzi, Tom
Fucile, Primo D,
Fuggisco, Salvatore
Fuggisco, Rosa
Gacicia, Sal
Gagliano, Anthony
Gagliano, Bernard
Gagliano, Santo
Gagliano, Steve
Gagliano, Victor
Gagliano, Nick
Gaido, Domenic
Galante, Fred
Galati, Joe
Galipo, Frank
Gallo, Vince
Ganiere, Carl C.
Ganiere, Robert
Ganiere, Carl G.
Ganiere, Paul
Ganiere, Humbert
Ganoni, Vida
Garofani, Americo
Gasperetti, Charlie
Gasperetti, Herman
Gasperetti, Elmer
Gazzana, Anthony
Gazzana, Anthony
Gendusa, Joe
Gendusa, Paul
Gentilli, Mat
Georgi, Richard
Geraci, Gaspin
Geraci, Mike
Geracie, Frank, J.
Geracie, Peter
Army
Army
Army
Navy
Maritime
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Navy
Navy
Navy
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Army
Navy
Army
Army
Army
Army
Navy
Army
Army
Army
Coast Guard
Army
Army
Army
Coast Guard
Navy
Army
1429 N. Broadway
1910 E. Newton
2444 S. Delaware
2543 S. 7th St.
2543 S. 7th St.
3079 N. Bartlett
2658 N. 5th St.
320 N. Jefferson
2449B N. 3rd St.
432 S. 91st St.
2650 N. 5th St.
4137 N. Murray
3067 N. 2nd St.
705 S. 25th St.
3223A W. Madison
804 N. Pearson
2022 N. 2nd St.
3018 N. 48th St.
3018 N. 48th St.
2208 W. Vliet
2208 W. Vliet
4853 N. 52nd St.
4586 N. 48th St.
2627 S.Fulton
1143 N. Jackson
2135 M. 1st St.
1835 N. 14th St.
2129 N. Holton
3217 N. 33rd St.
2114 N. 54th St.
2114 N. 54th St.
2200 W. Middlemass
2000 N. 9th St.
244 S. 92nd St.
1105A W. Vliet
1534 N. Marshall
1534 N. Marshall
Source: Wright’s Milwaukee City Directory, 1941, Wright
Directory Co., Milwaukee.
Continued in the next issue
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Ciao carne! Defining Carnevale
By Blaise Di Pronio
Let’s begin with the word:
Carnevale/Carnival. In Latin/Italian, carne means “meat” (as the
chili-con carne aficionados know)
and vale/levare means to “remove
or eliminate”. So how can there be
a real carnival (with all its foods,
fun and frolics) without any meat
even though I note that the ICC’s
Carnevale’s menu features meat
galore with its cold cuts, steak and
chicken. What gives? Where’s the
meat, as they say?
In actuality, the Carnevale feast
itself, albeit its name, does not forbid meat. The feast is the last celebration before the start of the
Christian meatless period of Lent,
and Lent is the approximately sixweek period before Easter. So the
name is kind of a reminder of your
last chance to enjoy some of that
tasty sustenance (amongst other
things) before you’re cut off.
Lent is a very solemn Christian
religious period that begins on Ash
(of “dust-to-dust” fame) Wednesday
and runs for 40 days (in commemoration and reminder of Christ’s 40
days spent in the desert fasting and
enduring temptations by the devil).
It is a time of prayer, repentance,
penance and self denial (usually of
things that give enjoyment and
pleasure such as the luxuries of
meat, drink and merrymaking),
except for that last Tuesday before
that forlorn Wednesday.
That Tuesday is, of course, Fat
Tuesday or Mardi Gras in French
(and Martedi Grasso in Italian). It
is the epitome of carnivals and celebrated worldwide, most notoriously
in Rio di Janeiro and New Orleans.
In Italy, the celebrations are not
limited to a one-day event but,
rather, there is a full season of carnivals comprised of different
events, at different times and at
Discovering and
exploring Ustica
Ustica is a small island off the
north coast of Sicily, reached by
ferries from Palermo. The tip of an
ancient, extinct volcano, its black
rocky slopes and plateaus are now
covered in green vegetation and
spring flowers. Its coast features
rocks and grottoes. It is about six
miles across and situated 32 miles
north of Capo Gallo, Italy in the
Tyrrhenian Sea. Roughly 1,300
people live in the comune (municipality) of the same name.
The island has been populated
at least since about 1500 B.C. (by
the Phoenicians back then). In
ancient Greece, the island was
named Osteodes (ossuary or boneyard) in memory of the thousands
of Carthaginian mutineers left
there to die of hunger in the 4th
century B.C. The Romans renamed
the island Ustica, Latin for burnt,
for its black rocks. The island is
also known locally as the “black
pearl.”
In the 6th century, a
Benedictine community settled on
the island, but was soon forced to
move because of ongoing wars
between Europeans and Arabs.
Attempts to colonize the island in
the Middle Ages failed because of
raids by Barbary pirates.
In the mid-18th century, the
island was settled by approximately 90 people from the island of
Lipari, an island also located north
of Sicily, but east of Ustica. They
brought with them the patron saint
of Lipari, Bartholomew the Apostle,
who became the patron saint of
Ustica as well.
Because Ustica is a small island
with limited resources (it is characterized by reduced sources of water
and vegetation is consequently
scarce), several waves of emigration have left Ustica.
In the mid to late 19th century
and early 20th century, as the population of the island grew too large,
hundreds of Ustican families immigrated to the United States.
Enough had arrived by the 1860s
that, in the American Civil War, a
regiment of Italians, including
many Usticesi, fought for the
Confederacy. Many of these families settled in New Orleans and
surrounding areas, where there are
today approximately 30,000 residents whose ties remain strong to
Ustica. A smaller number of fami-
THE ITALIAN TIMES
lies settled in San Jose and San
Francisco (many settled in the fertile Santa Clara Valley, whose mild
Mediterranean climate was reminiscent of Ustica), in New York and
in Massachusetts.
At the turn of the 12th century
many Usticesi also went to North
Africa in search of land and
employment.
Please turn to page 13
different places. Events include
parades, processions, costume
balls, exhibitions, singing, dancing
and fireworks, all culminating on
our portly Tuesday and its farewell
to meat and all that is fun.
However, in the interim, it is said
in Italy that: “A Carnevale, ogni
scherzo vale” or “anything goes”
during Carnevale time.
The most famous Carnevale in
Italy is the Carnival in Venice
where its most prominent feature is
the wearing of elaborate masks.
These masks themselves have a
rich and colorful history (and may
necessitate their own article in the
future) such as those based on the
characters of the Commedia
dell’Arte or the comic street theater
developed in Italy during the 15th
century. For example, there is the
Colombina (it covers the eyes, nose
and upper cheeks), the Medico della
Peste (the Plague Doctor, featuring
a long beak and originally worn to
prevent the spread of disease) and
the Arlecchino (half mask with an
ape-like nose and devil’s bump/horn
on the forehead) and many, many
more.
Throughout the years, the ICC’s
Carnevale has hit on many themes
in its celebrations, and in this
2016’s version, it is the carnival
itself that is being honored or
“Viva” – “Long Live” – Il Carnevale!
Lastly, a friendly reminder to
this year’s King of Carnevale, Sal
Purpora, that in Italy the
Carnevales feature bonfires where
a doll representing King Carnevale
is ceremoniously consumed
(burned, that is) to symbolically
signal the death of Carnevale, thus
making way to Ash Wednesday and
the beginning of dour times.
So Sal, you might want to watch
out when they summon you to the
fireworks.
Reclaiming our pot
By Blaise Di Pronio
All children worldwide love the
piñata. The Hispanic name is very
misleading as the custom of the
Pignatta (Italian for “clay pot”
and pronounced with the “nyo”
sound as in ca-nyo-n) originated
in Italy during the Renaissance
when a clay pot would be filled
with edible goodies and sweets
and suspended over a piazza and
then hit with a stick in order to
release its contents to the waiting
children and to also signify the
start of the Carnevale season.
In honor of the Colombina
(Little Dove) character (whose
mask is mentioned in the accompanying article), in Venice there is
the tradition of the White Dove
Pignatta at which time a large
white dove pignatta is suspended
above a huge crowd at Piazza San
Marco and subsequently broken to
signal the beginning of Carnevale
time.
Last name search:
More of Milwaukee’s Italians
By Blaise Di Pronio
Answers on page 9
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 7
Spotlight on Cultural Arts
Top singers ready to Italy’s No. 1 hits in 2015
compete at 2016 San
Remo Music Festival
Here is the list of songs that were number-one hits in Italy in 2015,
according to FIMI, the Italian Singles and Albums Charts. These singles
appear in the order that they first reached number one.
By Blaise Di Pronio
What do singers Modugno, Bocelli, Pizzi, Celentano, Pausini,
Ramazzotti, Il Volo and countless others have in common? It’s a no-brainer
for those who follow Italian song. They all participated and won at the San
Remo Music Festival.
San Remo (Sanremo) is a small city of about 57,000 residents on the
Mediterranean coast of northwest Italy’s Riviera Zone. Its mild climate and
seacoast location make it a popular tourist attraction. As you can imagine,
World War II had a major impact on its economy. In the 1950s, the idea of
an annual music festival took hold in order to revitalize San Remo’s economy and reputation as a tourist destination and the rest is . . . well, you
know.
The song festival has undergone many changes in formats, categories
and rules but, in essence, it has been a source of competition between
established artists (Campioni) and newcomers (Nuove Proposte). It went
from limited radio broadcasts to television, and today’s worldwide webcasts.
The 2016 version of the festival will take place at the Teatro Ariston
beginning on Tuesday, Feb. 9 and ending on the 13th. The participants will
be divided into two sections:the Campioni/Champions (comprised of 20
artists) and the Nuove Proposte/New Nominees (8 artists). The winner of
the Campioni section will also earn the right to represent Italy in the
Eurovision Song Contest 2016.
You might enjoy looking at and comparing the list of Campioni winners
(appearing below) in the first years of the festival and the latest winners.
Year
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
Song
Artist(s)
“Grazie dei fiori”
Nilla Pizzi
“Vola colomba”
Nilla Pizzi
“Viale d’autunno”
Carla Boni & Flo Sandon’s
“Tutte le mamme”
Giorgio Consolini & Gino Latilla
“Buongiorno tristezza”
Claudio Villa & Tullio Pane
“Aprite le finestre”
Franca Raimondi
“Corde della mia chitarra”
Claudio Villa & Nunzio Gallo
“Nel blu dipinto di blu”
Domenico Modugno & Johnny Dorelli
“Piove (Ciao, ciao bambina)” Domenico Modugno & Johnny Dorelli
“Romantica”
Tony Dallara & Renato Rascei
And now last 10 years:
2006 "Vorrei avere il becco"
2007 “Ti regalerò una rosa”
2008 “Colpo di fulmine”
2009 “La forza mia”
2010 “Per tutte le volte che...”
2011 “Chiamami ancora amore”
2012 “Non è l’inferno”
2013 “L’essenziale”
2014 “Controvento”
2015 “Grande amore”
Povia
Simone Cristicchi
Giò Di Tonno & Lola Ponce
Marco Carta
Valerio Scanu
Roberto Vecchioni
Emma
Marco Mengoni
Arisa
Il Volo
Here are the names of the 2016 participants who were announced Dec.
13 by the Italian television celebrity and the longtime emcee of the festival,
Carlo Conti.
Campioni section:
Artist(s)
Deborah Iurato e Giovanni Caccamo
Noemi
Alessio Bernabei
Enrico Ruggeri
Arisa
Rocco Hunt
Dear Jack
Stadio
Lorenzo Fragola
Annalisa
Irene Fornaciari
Neffa
Zero Assoluto
Dolcenera
Clementino
Patty Pravo
Valerio Scanu
Morgan e Bluvertigo
Francesca Michielin
Elio e le Storie Tese
Nuove Proposte Section:
Cecile
Chiara Dello Iacovo
Ermal Meta
Francesco Gabbani
Irama
Michael Leonardi
Mahmood
Miele
PAGE 8 – FEBRUARY 2016
Song
“Via da qui”
“La borsa di una donna”
“Noi siamo infinito”
“Il primo amore non si scorda mai”
“Guardando il cielo”
“Wake Up”
“Mezzo respiro”
“Un giorno mi dirai”
“Infinite volte”
“Il diluvio universale”
“Blu”
“Sogni e nostalgia”
“Di me e di te”
“Ora o mai più”
“Quando sono lontano”
“Cieli immensi”
“Finalmente piove”
“Semplicemente”
“Nessun grado di separazione”
“Vincere l’odio”
“N.E.G.R.A.”
“Introverso”
“Odio le favole”
“Amen”
“Cosa resterà”
“Rinascerai”
“Dimentica”
“Mentre ti parlo”
• “Take Me to Church” by Hozier.
• “Grande Amore” by Il Volo.
• “Love Me Like You Do” by Ellie Goulding.
• “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth.
• “El Mismo Sol” by Alvaro Soler.
• “El Perdon” by Nicky Jam & Enrique Iglesias.
• “Roma-Bangkok” by Baby K featuring Giusy Ferreri.
• “Ti ho Volunto Bene Veramente” by Marco Mengoni.
• “Hello” by Adele.
• “Runaway” by Urban Strangers.
Adele’s “Hello” was the number one hit of the year.
These are the albums that climbed to number one in the last year
according to FIMI.
• “TZN – The Best of Tiziano Ferro” by Tiziano Ferro.
• “Parole in cincolo” by Marco Mengoni.
• “Il Bello D’essere Brutti” by J-Ax.
• “Sanremo grande amore” by Il Volo.
• “Lorenzo 2015 CC” by Jovanotti.
• “Rebel Heart” by Madonna.
• “9” by Negrita.
• “1995” by Lorenzo Fragola.
• “Gira del Mondo” by Ligabue.
• “Miracolo!” by Clementino.
• “Beyond” by Mario Biondi.
• “Perfetto” by Eros Ramazzotti.
• “Out” by Kolors.
• “Vero” by Gue Pequeno.
• “Lorenzo 2015 CC” by Jovanotti.
• “Endkadenz Vol. 2” by Verdena.
• “The Book of Souls” by Iron Maiden.
• “Doppelganger” by Madman.
• “Rattle That Lock” by David Gilmour.
• “La Rivoluzione sta Arrivando” by Negramaro.
• “L’amore Si Muove” by Il Volo.
• “Pop-Hoolista” by Fedez.
• “20:05” by Benji & Fede.
• “Sounds Good Feels Good” by 5 Seconds of Summer.
• “De Gregori Canta Bob Dylan – Amore e Furto by Francesco
De Gregori.
• “Simili” by Laura Pausini.
• “Made in the A.M.” by One Direction.
• “25” by Adele.
• “Passione maledetta” by Modà.
• “Le cose che non ho” by Marco Mengoni.
Favorite arias:
Nessun Dorma
From: Giacomo Puccini’s
Turandot
Nessun dorma!
Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle
che tremano d’amore
e di speranza.
Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun saprà!
No!,
No!
sulla tua bocca lo dirò
quando la luce splenderà!
Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il
silenzio
che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun saprà!...
e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)
Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle!
All’alba vincerò!
vincerò!
vincerò!
Translation:
Nobody shall sleep!
Nobody shall sleep!
Even you, oh Princess,
in your cold room,
watch the stars,
that tremble with love
and with hope.
But my secret is hidden within
me,
my name no one shall know...
No!
No!
On your mouth I will tell it
when the light shines.
And my kiss will dissolve the
silence
that makes you mine!...
(No one will know his name
and we must, alas, die.)
Vanish, o night!
Fade, you stars!
Fade, you stars!
At dawn, I will win!
I will win!
I will win!
Have something to sell? Let the readers of The Italian Times know
about it by placing an ad in our next ad. For information on ad sizes
and costs, call 414-223-2189 or send an email to Editor Tom Hemman
at [email protected]. Discounts available to ICC members and
who advertising in three or more issues in a one-year period.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
L’Angolo del Poeta
By Barbara Collignon and Robert Ciampi
Did you know that during the
Renaissance, Florence celebrated
Carnevale twice a year – once
before Lent and again for
Calendimaggio, on May first –
marking the beginning of spring?
Once a theme and text for a
carnevale song had been established, local guilds, artists, poets,
musicians and composers were all
involved in festivities planned
around it. They built floats
employing costume makers,
singers, composers and musicians.
Part of the idea was to market the
services of the guilds. Only some
300 carnevale songs (canti carnascialeschi) have survived since it
was primarily an oral tradition;
about 70 have survived with music.
Many songs owe their survival to
the fact that the texts were sung to
the melodies of laude.
The songs were of two kinds:
courtly songs that featured mythological characters and the more carnal songs featuring the various
guilds (bakers, perfume makers,
pastry makers). These had a social
and political function and were full
of double entendre. Patrick Macey,
a scholar involved in reconstructing
these songs from manuscripts,
referred to them as the “sex education” of the time. The young guildsmen sang directly to the ladies listening from their balconies or windows, boasted about their potency
and gave instructions to young
women. The young men singing
were wearing masks so their identities were secure and thus they
could sing whatever they wanted
to.
Lorenzo di Medici (1445- 1492),
also known as Lorenzo Il Magnifico,
wrote several including the one fea-
tured below. Lorenzo is referred to
as a “Maecenas”. Maecenas Goius
(70 BC – 8 BC) was a patron of
Horace and Virgil, a Roman diplomat. Now his name is synonymous
with being a generous patron of literature or art.
Lorenzo invented a new way of
celebrating carnival. Under his
reign, the celebration became more
intense and elaborate with the
court taking an active part and his
songs were sung by courtiers. The
fall of the Medici affected Carnevale songs, many of which disappeared while some of the better
known melodies survived with
newly adapted sacred or penitential
texts.
You will see the various references to mythology in this song:
Bacchus, Ariadne, Midas, Silenus
(mentor to Bacchus) and satyrs and
nymphs. It’s the well-known theme
of carpe diem, enjoy life now for
youth passes and no one knows
what’s in store for us tomorrow.
Certainly, poetic license has been
employed in the translation.
Quant’è bella giovinezza or
Trionfo di Bacco e Arianna
di Lorenzo di Medici
Quant’è bella giovinezza
che si fugge tuttavia!
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
Di doman non c’è certezza.
Quest’è Bacco e Arianna,
belli, e l’un dell’altro ardenti:
perché ‘l tempo fugge e ‘nganna,
sempre insieme stan contenti.
Questi ninfe e altre genti
sono allegre tuttavia.
[Ritornello]
Questi lieti satiretti
delle ninfe innamorati
per caverne e per boschetti
Opera Topics
By Angelo Castronovo
The Metropolitan Opera radio
broadcast season started Dec. 5
with the perennial favorite, La
Boheme by Puccini. It was followed
by Verdi’s Rigoletto and Rossini’s
La Donna del Lago and Barber of
Seville. Puccini’s Manon Lescaut
was also happily back along with
his Turandot – both with their lush
and dramatic music including the
arias “Donna Non Vidi Mai” and, of
course, “Nessun Dorma”. (Lyrics for
“Nessun Dorma” in English and
Italian appear on page 9.) Bizet’s
wonderfully melodious The Pearl
Fishers was broadcasted in
January.
The Pearl Fishers was an earlier
work by Bizet, then in his 20s, long
before his magnificent and classic
Carmen. I’m not exaggerating
when I say “wonderfully melodious”
regarding Pearl Fishers because it
contains so much beautiful music,
particularly the great duet for
tenor and baritone: “Au fond du
Temple Sant”.
This magnificent duet has been
performed by so many great
singers, past and present, including
Enrico Caruso, Pasquale Amato,
Beniamino Gigli, Jussi Bjoring and
Robert Merrill, to name just a few.
Don’t miss this stunning work,
which also includes a romanza aria
for tenor, duets between tenor and
soprano, a gorgeous lead in by
soprano and baritone followed by a
stunning choral piece and, finally,
the closing trio, reprising the earlier tenor-baritone theme.
Returning to Rossini, we take
THE ITALIAN TIMES
note of this
prolific and
creative composer’s output of some
36 operatic works which include
L’Italiana in Algeri, La Cenerentola
and his Otello. His masterwork was
said to be William Tell. He was not
the only prolific opera composer as
Verdi wrote more than 20 operas,
including two masterpieces late in
life: Otello and Falstaff. Donizetti
penned more than 60 works including Don Pasquale, Lucia, L’Elisir
d’Amore and Anna Bolena. Not to
be outdone was Pacini who produced more than 70 works and
Scarlatti who wrote a staggering
115 operas. And there was also
Paisiello with 83 operas including
his version of Barber of Seville.
On a completely different topic,
we turn to the habits of some prominent singers of the past. Most led
rather temperate lives, not venturing out in bad weather and retiring
to bed early in the evening, some as
early as 8 p.m. Among them was
soprano Lillian Nordica. There
were some exceptions such as tenor
Jean de Reszke and his brother,
basso Edouard, both of whom had a
facility for imitating people and
animals. Edouard even astounded
and amused collagues and friends
with his ability to imitate the cello
throughout its entire range.
* * *
Quotable quote: “In a dream, I
saw a city invincible.” – Walt
Whitman.
han lor posto cento aguati:
Ora da Bacco riscaldati,
ballan, saltan tuttavia.
[Ritornello]
Queste ninfe hanno anco caro
da loro essere ingannate;
non puon far a Amor riparo
se non genti rozze e ‘ngrate:
Ora insieme mescolate
suonan, cantan tuttavia.
[Ritornello]
Questa soma che vien dreto
sopra l’asino, è Sileno:
Cosi vecchio e ebbro e lieto,
già di carne e d’anni pieno;
se non può star ritto, almeno
ride e gode tuttavia.
[Ritornello]
Mida vien doppo costoro:
Ciò che tocca, ora diventa.
E che giova aver tesoro,
s’altri poi non si contenta?
Che dolcezza vuoi che senta
chi ha sete tuttavia?
[Ritornello]
Ciascun apra ben gli orecchi:
Di doman nessun si paschi;
oggi siam giovani e vecchi
lieti ognun, femmine e maschi;
ogni tristo pensier caschi;
facciam festa tuttavia.
[Ritornello]
Donne e giovanetti amanti,
viva Bacco e viva Amore!
Ciascun suoni, balli e canti!
Arda di dolcezza il core!
Non fatica, non dolore!
Quel c’ha esser, convien sia.
Chi vuol esser lieto, sia:
Di doman non c’e certezza.
[Refrain]
These happy satyrs
with nymphs enamored
through caverns and woods
have set them a hundred snares:
Now warmed by drink of Bacchus,
they continuously dance and leap.
[Refrain]
These nymphs are happy despite
being caught by trickery;
one can’t escape Love—
only the ungrateful and coarse:
Now together they mingle
playing and singing still.
[Refrain]
This fellow following behind
seated on donkey back is Silenus:
So old and drunk and happy is he,
full of wine and meat and years;
If he’s too drunk to stand, at least
he’s still laughing and joyful.
[Refrain]
Midas comes after the others:
whatever he touches, turns to gold.
What joy is there in having treasure
if it doesn’t make you happy?
What sweetness is there
for he who cannot quench his
thirst?
[Refrain]
Triumph of Bacchus and
Ariadne
Translation by Barbara
Collignon and Roberto Ciampi
Let us all open well our eyes:
No one can graze on tomorrow’s
pastures;
today we are young and old,
each one happy, girls and boys;
let’s banish every sad thought;
let’s make merry forever.
Here are Bacchus and Ariadne,
beautiful, burning for each other:
though time is fleeting and illusive,
they remain happy together still.
Ladies and young lovers,
long live Bacchus and long live
Love!
Let us play, dance and sing!
May your hearts burn with sweetness!
Never tiring, never grieving!
Whatever will be, will be.
How beautiful is youth
always fleeing.
Refrain: Who would be happy, may
he be so:
of tomorrow, nothing’s certain.
These nymphs and other people
are always happy.
[Refrain]
Who would be happy, let him be so:
Of tomorrow, nothing is certain.
Last name search answers:
More of Milwaukee’s Italians
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 9
La Befana extends holiday joy
to children at ICC annual event
While all that might be left of
the recent Christmas celebration
for most people are the much larger
credit card bills that are now coming due, true Italians know that the
joyous part of the holiday season
doesn’t end until La Befana makes
her annual visit.
After delivering gifts to the good
children and stockings filled with
charcoal to the naughty ones in
Italy on Epiphany Eve (Jan. 5), La
Befana scurried on her magical red
broom to Milwaukee to come to the
Italian Community Center on
Saturday, Jan. 9.
The good-hearted Italian folklore witch still had plenty of nice
gifts and good cheer left to deliver
to the youngsters who attended the
ICC’s 14th annual party.
The party, arranged by the
ICC’s Avanti Committee, included
a kids-tested-mother-approved buffet luncheon and opportunities for
the young and old to make their
own ice cream sundaes. Children
had chances to creatively decorate
Christmas cookies. Many of them
displayed outstanding artistic talent!
Liz Ceraso and Rose Anne
Ceraso Fritchie called upon pianist
John Puchner to play fun, singalong holiday music and for Anna
Pitzo to work out the travel
arrangements for La Befana’s trip
to Milwaukee. Anna is the only one
at the ICC who has a direct line to
La Befana.
Before La Befana’s arrival, children were asked to put their shoes
behind a curtain. Volunteers would
later fill their shoes with candy
that the legendary Italian witch
brought with her.
As the youngsters joined
Puchner in singing “La Befana is
Coming to Town,” the grand old
witch made her appearance. She
proceeded to tell the children her
story of how she initially failed to
recognize the importance of the
birth of Jesus, and after realizing
her mistake, she could not find her
way to Bethlehem where the Christ
Child was born. To this day, she
pledges to make up for her erroneous ways by delivering gifts to
children on Epiphany Eve.
After completing her story, La
Befana greeted and hugged all the
children. Many parents and grandparents took pictures as their children/grandchildren met La Befana.
The children were then directed to
the room where the good witch had
dropped off their gifts.
The end proved to be a fun and
heart warming way to end the holiday season.
Times photos by Tom Hemman
La Befana greeted each child.
Everyone – young and old – had a chance to make an ice cream sundae.
Every child was given a chance to decorate a Christmas cookie.
PAGE 10 – FEBRUARY 2016
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Times photos by Tom Hemman
Children worked on decorating their Christmas cookies. Parents and
grandparents were able to offer assistance if needed.
Every child was given a nice toy by
La Befana. She also had candy for
the children. The candy was put in
their shoes by volunteers while La
Befana spoke to the children. La
Befana puts candy in the stockings
of young children in Italy.
Children listened attentively as La Befana told her fabled story.
Volunteers joined La Befana for this picture. Left to right: Sam Alioto
(kneeling), Francesca Alioto, John Puchner, Rose Anne Ceraso Fritchie,
Mary Anne Ceraso-Alioto and Avery Butler. Missing is Liz Ceraso, Avanti
Committee chair, and John Alioto, who were unavailable for the photo.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Children joined pianist John Puchner in a holiday sing-a-long.
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 11
Italian Society and Club News
WisItalia presents $1,000 Fr. Domenic Roscioli speaks
about career and work in
donations to area schools
community at OSIA meeting
that teach Italian
Three area schools that offer an Italian curriculum were presented $1,000
checks by WisItalia, the nonprofit organization that promotes the teaching of Italian and the culture of Italy in Wisconsin schools. The presentations were made to Milwaukee’s Victory K-8 School, Kenosha St. Joseph
Academy and Racine Bradford High School at WisItalia’s meeting on Jan.
2 at O’Sullivan’s Public House. Accepting the donations on behalf of
Victory School were Principal Janine Cano Graber and Italian teacher
Enrica Fracchina. Alessio Giudice, an Italian teacher, was presented the
check for St. Joseph Academy. Representing Bradford High School for the
presentation was Italian teacher Monica Valenti. Others appearing here
include WisItalia President Al Rolandi, Tony Bruno and Frank Alfano
from Madison’s Italian Workmen’s Club, WisItalia Vice President Carla
Guidice and Professor Sandra Pucci. (Photo provided by WisItalia)
The Order of Sons of Italy,
Filippo Mazzei Greater Milwaukee
Lodge #2763, welcomed Father
Domenic J. Roscioli as their guest
speaker at its December general
membership meeting on Dec. 16.
Fr. Roscioli captivated both
members and guests with an interesting and animated talk about his
childhood growing up as an Italian
Catholic living in the Kenosha
area.
He also spoke of his life as a
priest and how his battle with cancer affected him and his duties for
years until he miraculously went
into remission. Many of us remember his uplifting homily at the
Festa Italiana Mass, which was
very inspirational.
Fr. Roscioli spoke on how he met
Paul Newman and was given the
opportunity to be a part of Paul
Newman’s “Hole in the Wall Gang”
camp for children afflicted with
cancer. After volunteering at the
camp, Fr. Roscioli, with the help of
Paul Newman, formed a charity to
provide a retreat for young adults
with cancer.
The program, “Next Step”, is
funded by the numerous products
he makes for purchase such as
“Duck Doo”, which is a fertilizer,
various cooking seasonings, pancake and waffle mixes and, most
recently, “Holy Spirit” wine.
Fr. Roscioli’s benevolence and
his enlightening speech were
appreciated by all in attendance.
The Filippo Mazzei Greater
Milwaukee Lodge would like to
thank Father Roscioli for joining
them at the Italian Community
Center and for sharing his stories.
He was a delightful addition to the
OSIA meeting!
Sal Purpora, longtime owner of
Papa Luigi’s, is a member of the
ICC and the Pompeii Men’s Club.
He is also a member of the Pompeii
Men’s Club Board of Directors.
Sal and his wife, Maria, will be
honored as the Re and Regina
(King and Queen) of the ICC’s Il
Grande Carnevale on Saturday,
Feb. 6.
Fr. Domenic Roscioli delivered the
homily at the Festa Italiana 2015
Mass. (Times photo by Tom
Hemman)
Papa Luigi’s hosts benefit dinner;
Pompeii Men help out
Papa Luigi’s sponsored two fivecourse dinners that raised $4,100
for St. Joan Antida High School.
The dinners were won by Ann
McCormick and Ramesh Kapur of
Kapur & Associates at an auction
held at the high school.
The dinners were served to the
auction winners on Nov. 18 and
PAGE 12 – FEBRUARY 2016
Dec. 7 at Papa Luigi’s, 3475 E.
Layton Ave., Cudahy.
Both dinners received help from
members of the Pompeii Men’s
Club, who worked as servers.
Father Tim Kitzke, chaplain of
the Italian Community Center and
the Pompeii Men’s Club, attended
the dinner on Dec. 7.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Italian Times Crossword
Puzzle No. 9
By Blaise Di Pronio
Discovering
and
exploring
Ustica
from page 7
During the Fascist years and
until the 1950s, Ustica was used as
an island prison. Mussolini banished thousands of political opponents to Ustica, often as many as
1,500 at a time. In the early 1940s,
Yugoslav war prisoners were
crammed onto the island, and
many of them died from malnutrition and tuberculosis. In the 1950s,
they were followed by suspected
Mafia hoodlums expelled from
Sicily.
The waters around the island
are a marine reserve, famously
clear and very popular in the summer with divers and swimmers. In
July and August, many Italians
and Sicilians come for their summer holidays with aims to relax,
socialize, sunbathe and swim.
Some come here specifically to
dive, and there are several groups
which organize diving trips. As
such, Ustica is particularly known
for scuba diving, with a number of
diving schools established on the
island. Recreational divers are
attracted by the relatively deep
dives, which are a feature of the
island’s volcanic geology. Popular
locations include an underwater
archaeological trail. Like other
Italian islands, Ustica is surrounded by shipwrecks and their contents: Roman amphorae (vases and
jugs), anchors and so on and, of
course, plenty of marine life.
Boat trips circle the island and
its caves, and you can also take a
landbound tour on the island’s little orange bus. Coastal footpaths
and the bus service circle the
island, so it is also unusually accessible for exploration. The bus service runs clockwise and anti-clockwise services around the island,
one approximately every hour in
April but varying through the year.
The full round trip only takes
about half an hour and is a great
(and cheap) way to see Ustica in its
entirety. You’ll pass long rectangular small holdings which are still
cultivated, vineyards, olive trees
and maybe even the odd horned
cow or laden mule used as a beast
of burden.
We know that every year many
of our ICC members travel to
Sicily, and they might now want to
take a little side trip to Ustica and
discover and explore its many
offerings and adventures. Buon
viaggio!
* * *
Researched by Bill Dickinson
through wikipedia.org and italyheaven.co.uk
Feeding finale
Solved crossword puzzle will appear in our March 2016 issue.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 13
Crossword Puzzle No. 8: Answers with
explanations and comments
by Blaise Di Pronio
Across
2. Latin – Was Spoken at the
Roman Forum-in Rome.
5. Elephant – The best keys come
from their teeth.
8. Heart – May it never skip a beat.
10. Damore – Rick. His band is now
the oldie but goodie.
11. Libretto – The diminutive of
‘libro’ or book.
13. Vikings – Discovered America
and not football.
15. Equator – It’s latitude is 0
degrees, not the air.
17. Organ – Mostly replaced by guitars nowdays.
18. Bisesi – Laurie. ICC’s Business
Manager.
19. Dues – Without them, extinction.
21. Lambeau – How do you say
sheep in French?
22. Gelato – a.ka. ice cream.
23. Placido – Domingo. Spanish
tenor but Italian songs.
27. Boxing – With kudos to
Graziano, not Stallone.
28. Masons – Their lodge was ICC’s
second home.
Down
1. Member – You need to pay to
play.
2. La Scala – ICC’s restaurant and
Milan’s opera house.
3. Opera – After the fat lady sings.
4. Stiletto – Thin, long knife and/or
shoe heel.
6. Garlic – Of bad breath fame.
7. Galileo – Galilei. He found what
goes around.
9. Pizza – Nothing like franchise
food, thank heavens!
12. Italian – My gosh, did you
expect Polish?
14. Sicilia – Just about everybody
at ICC is rooted there.
16. Reuben – a.k.a. as torpedo or its
launching submarine.
18. Box – He springs loose when
wound up.
20. Roots – The wrong kind of
genealogy.
24. Doowop – Daddies. Name droppers.
25. Wine – Does anyone remember
cellars?
26. Camel – They come in ones or
twos?
Italian Times Crossword
Puzzle No. 8 solved
By Blaise Di Pronio
Expo Elettronica
set for Feb. 13-14
in Carrara, Italy
Expo Elettronica will be held
the weekend of Feb. 13-14 at the
CarraraFire Exhibition Centre in
Carrara (Tuscany), Italy.
This event showcases the latest
in audio/visual equipment, music
equipment and software, televisions, electronic accessories, desktop computers, monitors, home
appliances, air conditioners, air
purifiers, household steamers, coffee makers and much more.
Nearly all of Italy’s major electronics and electrical goods manufacturers are expected to participate in the expo.
For you r
Wedding
Reception
and
Rehearsal
Dinner
The Italian
Conference Center
located at the
Italian Community Center
631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee
You'll welcome our attention to
detail and the way our staff goes
out of its way to meet your
every need. Your guests will
love the setting, the food, and
easy access and parking.
Our wedding specialists will
work closely with you to make
certain that your day is everything you dreamed it would be.
They'll even assist with floral
arrangements, music, photography, ordering the wedding cake
and other extras.
Call David or Kim Marie now
for available dates and a tour.
(414) 223-2800
www.italianconference.com
PAGE 14 – FEBRUARY 2016
THE ITALIAN TIMES
The Italian population in Milwaukee in 1910
Reprinted from
“The Italians in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin general survey”
by G. La Piana I915
(Copyright free)
According to the U. S. census
for the year 1910, the Italian population of Milwaukee numbered at
that time 4,685, of which 3,554
were born in Italy and 1,131 were
born in America.
The increase of the colony has
been constant in these last five
years, therefore, including the
large floating element of single
men, the present population of the
colony can be estimated at about
9,000.
The majority of the Italians live
in the Third Ward, in the district
enclosed by Michigan Street,
Broadway, the river and the lake.
Most of them originally came from
Sicily. Some of them (nearly all
Sicilians), have recently moved
northward, to the point where
Milwaukee, Jefferson, Jackson and
Van Buren Streets open into North
Water Street, bordering the river.
Another little settlement is on
the South Side, in Bay View, composed principally of Italians from
Central and Southern Italy. Many
others are scattered through the
city, and most of them are from
Tuscany or from other northern
provinces of the Italian Kingdom.
The first of the settlement came
over about 20 years ago, the nucleus being a group of Sicilians from
the province of Palermo, who came
here from the colony of Chicago,
and settled among the Irish in the
Third Ward. Little by little, the
Italians took the place of the Irish
who left this part of the district,
which is now almost entirely
Italian.
Among the Sicilians there are
three distinct groups; the first,
which is oldest and largest, is
formed by natives of the Province
of Palermo, the greater part from
the villages towns scattered along
the coast from Palermo to Termini,
as Porticello, Santa Flavia,
Sant’Elia, Aspra, Bagheria and so
on.
A second group comparatively
large, comes from the Province of
Messina, especially from the towns
and villages along the coast from
Tusa to Milazzo; as Santo Stefano
di Camastra, Sant’Agata di
Militello, Naso, (Capo d’Orlando,
and Milazzo.
A third group is composed of
natives from the Province of
Trapani and from the little island
of Marettimo. There are a few from
the Province of Girgenti, and a
very small number from the
Province of Siracusa.
The Italians from the provinces
of Southern and Central Italy,
came chiefly from the Puglia
(Provinces of Bari, Foggia)
Abbruzzi, (Prov. Chieti and
Aquila), and Campania (Prov.
Naples, Salerno and Avelline). The
group of Tuscans came almost
entirely from the country between
Florence and Pisa.
According to their places of origin, the Italian population of
Milwaukee would be divided as follows:
• Sicilians – 65 percent.
• From South Italy – 20 percent.
• From Central and North Italy
– 15 percent.
Agrigento, Sicily still reflects
its early Greek influence
Located on a plateau overlooking Sicily’s southern coast,
Agrigento was founded as Akragas
around 582 B.C. by a group of
colonists from Gela, who themselves were the immediate descendants of Greeks from Rhodes and
Crete.
The area was inhabited much
earlier than the Akragas settlement. A female skull (that of the
“girl of Mandrascava”) found near
Cannatello is estimated to be a half
a million years old. A Mesolithic
village at Point Bianca, farther
down the coast toward Montechiaro
Castle, dates from 6000 B.C. The
Sicanians may have descended
from that civilization.
Akragas
was
renamed
Agrigentum by the Romans, and
Girgenti by the Arabs, only to be
christened Agrigento in 1927. The
province still reflects the influences
of its early inhabitants.
Greatly enlarged by Berbers
beginning in the 9th century, the
medieval city of Agrigento, and the
capital of the province bearing the
same name, has a certain charm.
High in the historical center of the
city, the Romanesque Gothic cathedral, built during the 14th century,
still displays some of its medieval
character, as does the 13th-century
Church of San Nicola (St Nicholas).
Unfortunately, the Saracen fortress
believed to have stood at Agrigento
has not stood the test of time. The
Greek temples, theatres and ruins,
and even the archaeological museums, are located outside the city
proper.
Akragas, named for the nearby
river, flourished under Phalaris
(570-554 B.C.), and developed further under Theron (488-471 B.C.),
whose troops participated in the
Battle of Himera in 480 B.C.,
defeating the Carthaginians.
Agrigento was destroyed several
times during the Punic Wars, suffering particularly extensive damage during a siege by Roman forces
in 261 B.C., but always rebuilt.
The Greek poet Pindar (518-438
B.C.) described Akragas as “the
most beautiful city of the mortals.”
Akragas’ most famous citizen was
the philosopher and scientist
Empedocles (490-430 B.C.).
In the Valley of the Temples are
the ruins of numerous temples but
THE ITALIAN TIMES
The almond blossom festival
held in February is a spectacular
event full of folklore.
The ruins of a Roman villa are
located at an archeological site a
few kilometers up the coast from
Porto Empedocle.
Though Porto Empedocle itself
is today little more than a typical
small shipping town, there is a nice
beach nearby. The birthplace of
Luigi Pirandello (1867-1937), a
Nobel prize-winning author, is
located in the tiny hamlet of Caos,
where his house is a museum.
The best times to visit Agrigento
are during the spring or autumn
when the fields are green and the
wildflowers are blossoming.
The Temple of Juno
also necropoli, houses, streets and
everything else one would expect to
find in an ancient city. There is a
small amphitheatre, as well as several auditoria, and a fine archeological museum.
Unfortunately, most of the temples at Agrigento are in ruins, with
pieces strewn about, and several
appear to have never even been
completed.
Part of the Temple of Hera
(Juno), built around 450 B.C., is
still intact. Its style has been compared to that of the temples at
Paestum, near Salerno.
The Temple of Concord (named
retroactively), built around 440
B.C., is in far better condition, and
at night the illuminated temple is a
sight to behold. A number of telamons (large segmented stone
columns in the form of human figures) have been preserved.
Ancient Agrigento’s importance
declined under the Byzantines and
Saracens, who encouraged settlement of the medieval city (presentday Agrigento) several kilometers
from the Valley of the Temples. The
Normans, however, recognized its
importance. Under Norman rule,
beautiful churches were constructed in and around the city.
The ancient city’s architectural
character seems more Greek than
Roman. What’s missing are the
thin, reddish bricks so typical of
Roman sites like those in Solunto
and Taormina.
Despite its location virtually in
the shadow of a modern city, the
Valley of the Temples is surrounded by olive groves and almond
orchards that render its ambience
altogether natural, though a number of illegally-built houses mar the
landscape.
Agrigento festival
The 70th annual celebration of
“Sagra del Mandorlo in Fiore”
(Festival of the Almond Blossom) is
held Feb. 1-15 in Agrigento.
The event is combined with an
international folklore festival and
features music, singing, parades,
puppet shows and open-air performances.
Traditional Sicilian sweets made
with almonds and almond paste are
sold.
Balconies are decorated with
flowers and people often wear colorful costumes.
The finale includes a Sicilian
cart parade and fireworks.
Apply conventional wisdom when planning your next
business conference, banquet or meeting. Hold it at the
ITALIAN CONFERENCE CENTER
LOCATED AT THE ITALIAN COMMUNITY CENTER
The Italian Conference Center offers . . .
• First rate conference, convention, banquet &
meeting facilities for groups from 4 to 1,400.
• Professional planning assistance.
• Outstanding food service.
• Handicap access & convenient parking.
• Easy access to freeway & downtown.
For professional assistance in coordinating your event, call
David or Kim Marie at (414) 223-2800 or
or visit www.italianconference.com.
Italian Conference Center, 631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee, WI
Just a block west of Summerfest in the Historic Third Ward.
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 15
La Pagina Italiana
Le origini del Carnevale
Di Donato Di Pronio
La
Quaresima
(da
quadragesimus, il quarantesimo
giorno prima di Pasqua), nella
liturgia della Chiesa Cattolica è un
periodo penitenziale di quaranta
giorni in preparazione alla Pasqua;
inizia il Mercoledì delle Ceneri e si
prolunga per sei settimane. Le
celebrazioni religiose che si tengono
in detto giorno sono caratterizzate
dall’imposizione, da parte del
Sacerdote, sulla fronte dei fedeli di
un pizzico della cenere ricavata
dalla bruciatura dei rami d’ulivo e
delle palme benedetti durante le
funzioni della Domenica delle
Palme dell’anno precedente
pronunciando il monito: memento,
homo, quia pulvis es et in polverem
revertèris (ricordati, uomo, che
polvere sei e polvere ritornerai).
Ricordi di Carnevale
di Donato Di Pronio
Permettetemi di ricordare un
carnevale di tanti anni fa quando
ero un ragazzetto. Un gruppo di
buontemponi prepararono un
pupazzo riempito di paglia che
chiamarono ‘Re Carnevale’;
sistematolo a cavallo di un
asinello, lo portarono in giro per il
paesino. A mezzanotte fu bruciato
in piazza tra schiamazzi, risate,
balli e canti.
A questo punto spuntò una
signora goffamente vestita e porse
al capo compagnia un pitale colmo
di maccheroni. Il quale capo li fece
fuori arrangiandosi con le sole
mani, mentre una graziosa
donzella gli porgeva un barattolo
colmo di vino. Le risate e gli strilli
svegliarono … anche le stelle!
Nelle prime ore della serata,
avevo partecipato ad un giuoco,
tipico di questo periodo, riservato
ai piccoli: ‘l’Uovo Appeso’. Un
uovo lesso, privo del guscio, ben
fissato con filo cucirino, veniva
“appeso” alla cappa del camino. A
lato gli si faceva penzolare,
minaccioso, un carboncino rovente
conficcato ad un ago mantenuto
anch’esso da filo. A turno si
tentava di afferrare l’invitante
uovo con la sola bocca cercando di
non scottarsi, il che era quasi
impossibile perché gli astanti
soffiavano sul carboncino facendolo dondolare intorno alla “preda”.
Già dopo i primi assalti, i
“contendenti” erano tutti rossi in
viso per l’eccitazione e per il
calore che il focolaio irradiava
addosso. Felici e rumorosi. Le
nonne, vigilanti (il fuoco era pur
sempre un pericolo), se la
godevano come spensierate
bambine.
Nelle serate precedenti avevo
partecipato a quest’altro passatempo: un soldo era stato poggiato
sul fondo rigirato di una grossa
padella.
Se volevi far tua quella
monetina, dovevi spingerla con la
punta del naso sino a farla cadere.
Operazione, questa, quasi impossibile: la monetina era come
incollata
sullo
strato
di
appiccicosa fuliggine che si
deposita nel corso degli anni
intorno alla padella. Poveri
nasini, e povera nonna che poi
ebbe un bel da fare per …
sgrassarci nasi e gote.
Indovinelli
1. Anche se non serve a nulla ed
è anzi fastidioso, senza questa cosa
l’automobile non si muove, che
cos’è?
2. Posso essere fatto, scoperto o
frutto. Cosa sono?
3. Qual è l’uccello che vola più in
alto della montagna più alta?
4. Puoi tagliarmi la testa con il
coltello, ma piangerai per me,
quando sarò morta. Chi sono?
5. Ho le radici al di sopra del
tronco, cresco in inverno e muoio in
estate. Che cosa sono?
6. Se mi spezzi continuerò a
funzionare, ma se mi prendi resterò
per sempre con te. Chi sono?
7. Sono più leggero del materiale
di cui sono fatto e potete vedere
solo la mia parte superiore, che
cosa sono?
Risposte – pagina 17
Proverbi in Rima
compilati da Donato Di Pronio
In tempi felici non mancan mai amici.
Chi ha male al dito, sempre lo mira; – chi ha mal marito sempre sospira.
Anche l’uomo più giusto e buono - ha bisogno di qualche perdono.
Donna che resiste all’oro – vale più di un gran tesoro.
Chi non è mai contento con le mani stringe il vento.
Bere acqua di mattina – è una buona medicina.
Vedova ricca, con un occhio piange e con l’altro ammicca.
Mogli e mariti - carezzze e liti.
Quando gli uccelli volano basso – se non hai l’ombrello allunga il passo.
A confessore, medico e avvocato – non tenere il vero celato.
Donna e fuoco – giocaci poco.
La concordia tra molti fratelli – val più che fortezze e castelli.
Il tribunale non piace – a chi vuole stare in pace.
PAGINA 16 – FEBBRAIO 2016
Il Carnevale non ha ricorrenza
fissa essendo collegato con la
Pasqua, festa mobile che può
cadere dal 22 Marzo al 25 Aprile.
La parola ‘carnevale’ viene derivata
dalla locuzione carne-levare,
togliere, riferito al giorno di
mercoledì, inizio della Quaresima,
in cui si levava, si “sospendeva” il
consumo della carne; le prime
testimonianze sull’uso di questa
parola si trovano in scritti della
fine del 1200.
Le manifestazioni carnevalesche
traggono origine da festeggiamenti
molto antichi in onore di varie
divinità, tra i quali quelli
dell’antica Roma in onore del dio
Saturno
(detti
Saturnalia,
Saturnali)che si svolgevano tra il
17 e il 23 Dicembre in coincidenza
con il solstizio d’inverno che cade il
21 Dicembre. Le feste avevano per
lo più carattere licenzioso e
orgiastico e durante il loro
svolgimento erano permesse
violazioni di divieti, concesse molte
libertà anche agli schiavi: lo
schiavo era promosso padrone, il
padrone serviva lo schiavo, ecc..
Saturno (dal latino sèrere,
seminare) è nella mitologia
Romana il dio che, spodestato dal
figlio Giove, dopo aver girovagato
approdò in Italia e si fermò nel
Lazio. Era considerato protettore
dell’agricoltura e del civile
benessere.
I festeggiamenti carnevaleschi nel
corso dei secoli si sono estesi in
tutto il mondo e vengono promossi
anche da Enti turistici, da Comuni,
Associazioni,
ecc.,
con
la
partecipazione di piccoli e grandi
vestiti nel modo il più stravagante
possibile e, spesso, poco serio;
sfilate di carri allegorici, cortei
folcloristici, balli e divertimenti in
allegra e spensierata compagnia:
sono giorni di spasso e di baldorie;
le maschere la fanno da padrone
(attenti al detto: di carnevale ogni
scherzo vale). Famosi sono i
Carnevali di Viareggio, di Venezia,
di Francavilla al Mare, Centro
Italiano di Milwaukee, ecc. ecc.
Festa della Madonna
del Lume 2015
di Maria Concetta Sanfilippo
La
festa
di
Porticello
quest’anno è caduta il 4 ottobre
(prima domenica del mese) e come
ogni anno, è stata molto sentita
dai porticellesi specialmente dai
pescatori. L’aspetto religioso ha la
priorità su tutto: messe solenni,
discesa del quadro dall’altare,
processione e salita del quadro.
Momento emozionante è la
discesa del quadro che avviene il
lunedi alle ore 15.00; il quadro di
Maria scivola di mano in mano
fino ad arrivare nella Vara per
essere portata in processione che
dura da 5 a 6 ore. La gente
accorre da quasi tutta la Sicila e
per l’occasione ogni anno arrivano
tanti porticellesi emigrati in
America,
soprattutto
da
Milwaukee.
La Madonna viene trasportata
per le vie del paese dai pescatori
che fanno a gara per mettersi
sotto la vara. La profonda
devozione per Maria raggiunge il
culmine
nei momenti di
preghiera e soprattutto al grido
“ma ch’è beddu stu anciluni, viva
a Maronna ru Lumi viva” e tutti
si accalcano verso la vara per
toccare il quadro , molti fanno
tutta la processione a piedi scalzi
per grazie ottenute da Maria. E’
usanza
che
la
domenica
successiva (ottavo giorno) la vara
venga portata in processione via
mare fino a raggiungere la piccola
cappella di Capo Zafferano
mentre contemporaneamente
un’altra processione raggiunge lo
stesso posto via terra.
Nel momento in cui le due
processioni arrivano davanti alla
cappellina, vengono sparati, via
mare, i giochi d’artificio. E’
spettacolare vedere avanzare
quasi tutte le barche del porto in
processione verso capo zafferano
mentre seguono l’imbarcazione in
cui si trova il quadro di Maria
SS.Del Lume. Al rientro la vara
viene riportata in chiesa e il
quadro viene rimesso sull’altare
passando attraverso le mani tese
dei fedeli.
L’aspetto festaiolo ha pure la
sua importanza; il paese si
riempie di gente, per assistere
agli spettacolari giochi d’artificio.
E’ stata particolarmente bella
l’illuminazione del paese e del
piano stenditore e non mancano
mai i tirrunari e i caliari. E’
caratteristico il gioco dell’antenna
che consiste nel fare percorrere ,ai
partecipanti, un lungo remo reso
scivoloso dal sapone e disposto
parallelamente all’acqua del mare
e riuscire a raggiungere l’altra
estremità senza scivolare.
Anticamente c’era il gioco delle
pignatelle: delle pentole di creta
contenenti qualsiasi cosa (topi,
soldi, acqua gelata, noci, mandorle
e altre cose schifose) venivano
appese a delle corde e i
partecipanti dovevano batterle
con un Bastone accettando
qualunque cosa gli cadesse
addosso.Quest’anno la festa è
andata bene, speriamo ancora
meglio l’anno prossimo.
* * *
Editor’s note: Ms. Sanfilippo
is a resident of the “little port”
town of Porticello (Sicily), the
birthplace of many of our
immigrant members, quite a few
of whom are related to her. Maria
Concetta’s maiden last name is
D’Amato. We hope to receive future
articles from her regarding the
goings on in the old town.
Grazie a lei.
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Italian idioms and
expressions
1. Cosa c’è?
What’s the matter?
2. Vale la pena.
It’s worth the trouble.
3. A tavola!
Time to eat! Supper’s ready!
(Lit.- To the table).
Citazioni
citabile
I briganti ti chiedono: o la borsa
o la vita; le mogli pretendono tutte
e due. (S. Butler, scrittore Inglese,
1835-1902).
* * *
Tre cose ci sono al mondo,
diceva il saggio Socrate, che
cacciano l’uomo e lo fanno uscire di
casa: il fuoco, il fumo e una cattiva
moglie. (F. Folengo, poeta Italiano,
1491-1544).
* * *
Fare il marito è un lavoro a
tempo pieno. (A. Bennet, scrittore
Inglese, 1867-1931).
* * *
Così sono le donne: prima di
sposarlo, vogliono che il marito sia
un genio. Quando l’hanno sposato,
che sia un babbeo.(A: Campanile,
scrittore Italiano, 1900-77).
4. Sono sazio.
I’m full.
5. Adesso scoppio.
I’m so full. (Lit.-That I’m now
going to explode).
6. Abbuffarsi.
To pig out. (Lit.- To stuff one’s
self).
7. Essere sciupato.
To have gotten skinnier (Lit.- To
be wasting away).
8. Sto a dieta.
I’m on a diet.
9. E’ una buona forchetta.
He’s a hearty eater.(Lit.- He’s a
great fork).
10. Mi fa venire l’acquolina in
bocca.
It makes my mouth water.
Risposte
1. Il rumore.
2. Uno scherzo!
3. Tutti gli uccelli, dato che le
montagne non volano.
4. La cipolla.
5. Un ghiacciolo.
6. Il cuore.
7. Un iceberg.
A message from Principal Janine Graber:
Enroll in Victory K8
Milwaukee Italian
Immersion School for
2016-2017
If you would like your child or
grandchild to learn Italian in a
full immersion setting, sign up for
Victory K8 Milwaukee Italian
Immersion School. Starting Jan.
30, 2016 enrollment opens for the
2016-2017 school year.
We are accepting applications
for incoming all day K4/K5 and
First Grade students. Your child
must be 4 years old by Sept. 1,
2016. We are a public school,
with free city wide transportation
and no tuition. Schedule a tour
and discover a strong expanding
Italian Immersion program,
Please contact me, Principal
Janine Cano Graber, at 414-3046705 or send an email to graberjf
@ milwaukee.k12.wi.us. Secure
your seat. Enroll today!
– Janine Graber
Victory K8 Principal
Report from Milwaukee’s
Victory K-8 Italian
Immersion School
Felice Anno Nuovo to all The
Italian Times readers from all the
students at Victory Italian
Immersion School.
This month’s report is a short
one.
In mid December, Victory School
organized a PBIS (Positive
Behavior Incentive System) bowling field trip, and Maestra Annette
Robertson’s class attended with
great enthusiasm. Although many
of students had never bowled
before, they were able to lift the
lightest bowling balls and utilize
the finger holes. The lanes had side
rails so that the balls stayed in the
lane and most students scored well.
At Centers (organized play time),
students enjoy constructing castles
and other imaginative structures.
On Jan.6, La Befana (Lily Befana)
visited Victory School. She brought
THE ITALIAN TIMES
treats for all of the Italian students, The K4 students were excited to meet her as they had heard so
many stories about her life and
positive impact on the children in
Italy.
Victory K8 is pleased to
announce that next fall, there will
be two K4 Italian Immersion classes, K5 Immersion class and first
grade immersion class. There will
be partial Italian immersions in
second through fifth grade and a
daily Italian class for the sixth
through eighth graders.
There will be reports from K5
through 5th Grade in the next
issue of The Italian Times. Stay
tuned and Happy New Year.
– Submitted by
Annette Robertson
K4 Italian Immersion teacher
Barzellette
1. Come si chiama il frate con le gambe storte?
Fra Parentesi.
2. “Dottore dottore non mi crede nessuno.”
Ed il dottore: “Sta scherzando??”
3. Io a lui: “Tua moglie mi ha raccontato una barzelletta così divertente
che per poco non cadevo dal letto.”
4. Se ti fischia un orecchio e’ male, ma se ti applaude e’ peggio.
5. “Perche’ i pesci hanno le spine?”
“Perche’ nel mare c’e’ la corrente”.
6. Mio fratello e sua moglie hanno vissuto felici per 20 anni.
Poi si sono incontrati!
7. Al ristorante: “Cameriere, mi dia del maiale”.
“Porco!”.
8. Un amico incontra Lazzaro per la strada.
“ Ma come Lazzaro? Non eri morto?”
“Lascia perdere, sono vivo per miracolo!”
9. La moglie al marito: “Sai, e’ un po’ di tempo che mi frulla un’idea per
la testa”.
Il marito: “Non ti preoccupare, vedrai che presto o tardi morira’ di
solitudine”.
Apply conventional wisdom when planning your next
business convention. Hold it at the
Italian Conference Center
The Italian Conference Center offers . . .
• More than 22,000 sq. ft.
of convention space.
• Professional planning &
catering services
• Handicap access.
• Ample, free parking.
• 7 day a week
availability.
• Easy access to freeway
and downtown.
To coordinate your convention plans,
call David or Kim Marie
at (414) 223-2800
or visit www.ItalianConference.com
Italian Conference Center
at the Italian Community Center
631 E. Chicago St., Milwaukee
A block west of Summerfest
Interested in advertising in The Italian Times? Get the scoop on ad sizes and
costs by calling 414-223-2189 or send an email to [email protected].
The staff of Cafe La Scala
invites you to stop in for
lunch or dinner.
Arancini • Boneless Buffalo Chicken Strips • Panzanella
• Italian Beef Sandwich • Reuben • Sicilian Chicken
Sandwich • Chicken Basil Panini • Sicilian Steak
Sandwich • Mushroom Swiss Burger • Pasta alla Norma
• Chicken & Spinach Alfredo • Sicilian Steak Dinner
• La Scala Pizza • Alfredo Pizza • Prosciutto Pizza
and much more!
WEEKDAY LUNCH BUFFET FOR JUST
$8.95/PERSON!
Monday 7 Mexican • Tuesday 7 Pasta • Wednesday 7
Southern BBQ; Thursday 7 Italian; Friday 7 Fish Fry
Cafe La Scala
631 E. Chicago St. • 414-223-2185
LaScalaMilwaukee.com
Lunch, Mon.-Sat., 11am-2pm
Dinner, Mon.-Thurs., 5-9pm,
Fri., 4:30-10pm, Sat., 5-10pm
FEBBRAIO 2016 – PAGINA 17
PAGE 18 – FEBRUARY 2016
THE ITALIAN TIMES
Tony Busalacchi celebrating 25th anniversary
with international fraternal organization
What does Anthony S. Busalacchi have in common with Garibaldi,
Mazzini, Ernest Borgnine, Fiorello LaGuardia and Puccini? Yes, they are
all Italian, but they were also Freemasons.
This year, Tony is celebrating his silver anniversary as a Master Mason,
Shriner, 32nd degree member of the Scottish Rite and York Rite. He and
his wife, Pat, are life members of the Order of Eastern Star. He is especially proud to be a member of a fraternity whose American roots go back to
George Washington, Paul Revere and Benjamin Franklin.
Tony has been Master of the Silver Spring Lodge #337 (now the George
Washington 1776 Lodge) and president of its Trustees and its Foundation.
He was also on the board of the Scottish Rite Center for Dyslexia and is an
honorary member of the Port Washington Lodge.
Tony has been a guest speaker at numerous Masonic functions, including making several presentations for the Aurora Lodge, the only Germanspeaking Lodge in Wisconsin. He has also served as the State
Representative to the George Washington Memorial in Alexandria,
Virginia.
For the last several years he has been the Deputy Director of Masonic
Services at the Clement Zablocki V.A. Hospital. On most Thursday mornings, you will find him at the east entrance of the hospital greeting
patients, staff and visitors. Often you can hear, “It must be Thursday. Tony
is here.”
In his world travels, he has met brother Freemasons who are usually
recognizable by their Masonic
ring or lapel pin. The square
and compasses symbol refers
to the origin of the fraternity
in the days of the medieval
stone masons.
Tony was weaned on opera;
his sister Josephine was an
opera singer. With this background it is only natural that
one of his favorite musical
compositions is the opera “The
Magic Flute,” written by
another Freemason, Mozart,
who also wrote numerous
pieces for Masonic ceremonies.
Tony said he believes that
the two most significant
aspects of Masonry are the
camaraderie with fellow members, but more significantly,
its philanthropy, notably the
Shriners Childrens’ Hospitals.
93rd birthdays of Joe Mangiamele
and Joe Panella celebrated
During a lunchtime gathering at
Cafe La Scala on Jan. 6, the 93rd
birthdays of Joe Panella, a past
president of the Italian Community
Center, and Joe Mangiamele, a former professor and director of university planning and development
at the University of WisconsinMilwaukee, were celebrated. The
two Joes are part of a group of elderly Italian men who get together
every Wednesday afternoon for
lunch at the restaurant. Joe
Panella is in the middle of the five
Commitment Membership
Payment Options
Presently, there are two payment options available to you
should you choose a 2-year membership or a 3-year membership.
1. You may pay each January
for the duration of your 3-year or
2-year membership. As an show of
good faith, you must sign the
statement at the bottom of the
new application (that appears on
the next page).
2. You may pay for your full
3-year or 2-year membership by
the end of the first year – in 4
quarterly payments.**
** If a member pre-pays for a
THE ITALIAN TIMES
2-year or 3-year membership, and
passes away or moves out of state,
the remainder of their membership dues will be donated to the
Italian Community Center in the
member’s name.
Pro Rated Amount
You may have received a bill
for a smaller amount of money.
This dues payment doesn’t relate
to the new dues program, but
rather, is a transitional amount
that is intended to return everyone to a Jan. 1 through Dec. 31
Membership. You are not being
charged an additional amount.
men who are seated. Joe
Mangiamele is fourth from the left
among the men standing. (Times
photo by Tom Hemman)
Tony Busalacchi
Notify ICC of
change of
address
Any member of the Italian
Community Center who has a
change of address is asked to notify
the ICC promptly so that mailings
from the Center are sent to the correct address.
Since the ICC uses nonprofit
bulk rates to mail The Italian
Times, the United States Postal
Service is entitled to charge a fee
(57¢) for each newspaper that is
returned to the ICC and deemed
undeliverable due to an incorrect
address.
Even if you are temporarily
away from your permanent residence and are not receiving mail at
that address, you need to notify the
ICC of your temporary address so
that your newspaper can be delivered to that address and so that
the ICC is not charged 57¢ for each
failed attempt to deliver the publication to your permanent residence.
Nonprofit bulk rate mail is not
forwarded to a new address, which
means those members who neglect
to inform the ICC of their change
of address will not receive the
newspaper.
Please send change of address
information to: Italian Community
Center, 631 E. Chicago St.,
Milwaukee, WI 53202-5916 or
email Constance Jones at
[email protected] or
call her at 414/223-2808.
Welcome new Italian
Community
Center members!
The following persons became members of the Italian Community
Center between December 9, 2015 through January 11, 2016.
Benvenuti! (Welcome!)
Jennifer Grudy of Milwaukee, WI
Gary Lisiecki of Greenfield, WI
Aaron Lucente of Milwaukee, WI
Daniel Branski of Grafton, WI
Donna Kurth of Greendale, WI
Maureen Phelps of Franklin, WI
Bonnie Borowski of Franklin, WI
FEBRUARY 2016 – PAGE 19
Mike Piazza elected to
Baseball’s Hall of Fame
By Lawrence Baldassaro
On July 24, Mike Piazza will
become the 13th Italian American
inducted into the Baseball Hall of
Fame. He will go into the Cooperstown shrine alongside former outfielder, Ken Griffey, Jr., the only
other candidate selected in January
by the Baseball Writers Association
of America.
Acknowledged as the greatest
offensive catcher in baseball history, in his 16-year career (19922007), mainly with the Dodgers and
Mets, Piazza hit 427 home runs
(including a record 396 as a catcher), had a lifetime average of .308,
drove in 1,335 runs (fourth all-time
among catchers) and was a 12-time
All-Star, ten times the starting
catcher.
Michael Joseph Piazza was born
in Norristown, Pennsylvania, on
Sept. 4, 1968. His grandfather,
Rosario, had emigrated from
Sciacca, Sicily, and his grandmother Elisabetta’s family was from
Naples. “My grandfather took a lot
of criticism for marrying a ‘foreigner,’” Piazza told me with a smile.
If there were an award for the
athlete most unlikely to rise from
obscurity to stardom, Piazza would
win hands down. In the 1988 amateur draft, he was not chosen until
the 62nd round. Even though he
was the MVP in both his high
school and American Legion
leagues, scouts ignored him, as
they did after two lackluster years
of college ball. Finally, thanks to a
request by manager Tommy
Lasorda, a friend of Piazza’s father,
the Dodgers drafted him, after
1,389 other players had been selected.
Piazza himself may not have
pursued the dream had it not been
for his father. “My dad bought me a
batting cage and pitching machine
when I was 11. Times when I didn’t
want to practice, he kind of forced
me to go out there. He knew that I
had talent and, looking back now, I
have to thank him for being very
stern and making me practice.
Even if I had never made it in baseball, it taught me responsibility
and discipline.”
Piazza initially struggled in the
minors but persevered. By 1992, he
had become the Dodgers’ Minor
League Player of the Year. The
next year, the 24-year-old catcher
made the first of 10 consecutive AllStar appearances and was the
unanimous choice as National
League Rookie of the Year.
At 6’ 3” and 200 pounds, the
right-handed-hitting catcher generated great bat speed that enabled
him to launch prodigious home
runs. But he was also one of those
rare sluggers who hit for average.
His best overall offensive performance came in 1997, when, in addition to hitting 40 home runs and
driving in 124 runs, he had a
career-high average of .362, the
highest in Los Angeles Dodgers history.
It was assumed that Piazza, a
Dodgers legend after five outstanding seasons, would be wearing
Dodgers blue for his entire career.
But in 1998, the team suddenly
traded him to the Florida Marlins
following a contract dispute. A
week later, the cash-strapped
Marlins traded him to the New
York Mets, who, at the end of the
1998 season, gave the one-time
draft afterthought a franchise
record seven-year deal worth $91
million.
On Sept. 21, 2001, in the first
professional sporting event in New
York after the September 11 terrorist attacks, Piazza hit an eighthinning, two-run game-winning
homer against the Atlanta Braves.
It was a cathartic moment for not
only the 41,235 fans in attendance
but for the entire city. (Piazza
donated his $68,000 game check to
the post 9/11 relief efforts.) When
Shea Stadium closed for good in
September 2008, fans voted
Piazza’s home run the second most
memorable moment in the stadium’s history.
Asked what he learned in overcoming the early doubts about his
ability to play the game, Piazza
said, “I just want to relay to people
that you don’t have to be the most
highly regarded athlete, or highly
regarded student. You might have
to work twice as hard as the next
guy, but I find pleasure in that
because the work keeps you
grounded and makes you more able
to deal with anything that comes
your way.”
Piazza is aware of his place in
baseball history but seems humbled by it. “Being of Italian descent
and knowing how people, especially
other Italian Americans, respond to
that, is very flattering,” he said.
“Obviously, there are a lot of predecessors who have a great tradition
and have contributed a lot to baseball.
“With what Joe DiMaggio stood
for, it’s almost impossible to measure up to that as far as talent and
legacy. I think Italian Americans
are ever searching for the next Joe
DiMaggio. I can only say I’m very
much inspired by DiMaggio, and if
people put me in that category, it’s
very flattering.”
For all his accomplishments, not
to mention his on-field swagger, in
person Mike Piazza was anything
but arrogant. I had the chance to
speak with him on several occasions as I researched my book,
Beyond DiMaggio, and he was
unfailingly courteous, articulate
and surprisingly humble. Perhaps
what most impressed me was his
attachment to his ethnic heritage,
unusual among younger athletes.
At the inaugural World Baseball
Classic in 2006, which brought
together teams representing 16 different countries, Piazza was the
Mike Piazza (right) is seen here with Ken Griffey, Jr., the two players selected for the 2016 induction into the
Baseball Hall of Fame. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images/Milwaukee Brewers)
PAGE 20 – FEBRUARY 2016
Mike Piazza will enter Baseball’s
Hall of Fame on July 24. Here is a
photo of him batting when he
played for the New York Mets.
Photo
courtesy
of
Getty
Images/Milwaukee Brewers.
marquee player on the Italian
national team (which included both
Italian American major and minor
leaguers as well as five players
from the Italian professional
league.) Serving as the interpreter
for Team Italy, I noticed that
Piazza treated the Italian players
on the team, who obviously idolized
him, as if they were his peers.
His total commitment to the
team made it clear that he was
there because of an awareness of,
and loyalty to, his Italian American
heritage. He was playing for the
pride of representing the country
where his ancestors were born. “I
wouldn’t have missed this for the
world,” he told me at the time. “It’s
important to reconnect with your
roots.”
In 2002, Piazza made his first
trip to Italy, where, as part of
Major League Baseball’s effort to
internationalize the game, he conducted clinics for young Italian
players. “I went to Rome for a few
days, and that whet my appetite to
go back,” he said. “I’ve been back
several times since. I’ve always
looked for a bridge between the
Italians who stayed and the people
who migrated here. We grew up in
the United States, and we love this
country, but we’re very proud of our
ancestry, the fact that Italy is a
country of historical tradition.
That’s what I find fascinating.”
Piazza and his wife, Alicia, live
in Miami Beach with their two
daughters, Nicoletta and Paulina.
He continues to work with the
Italian national team, traveling to
Italy annually to serve as a consultant and hitting coach. It has also
been reported that he has
expressed interest in purchasing
the Italian soccer club Parma.
* * *
Editor’s note: All quotations
are from personal interviews with
Mike Piazza. Segments of this article are excerpted from Beyond
DiMaggio.
Lawrence Baldassaro, Professor
Emeritus of Italian at UWMilwaukee, is the author of Beyond
DiMaggio: Italian Americans in
Baseball (U. of Nebraska Press,
2011).
THE ITALIAN TIMES