The monuments of Rome are iconic. Yet before the Emperor Augustus, there was no “monumental” Rome. The 1st century BC marked a significant change in the appearance of the city covered in brick to a metropolis paved in marble. The building programs of Rome’s first emperor and his successors served to adorn the city and inspire countless generations of residents and visitors, artists and poets.

In this seminar we will delve into the personalities of the great men who built the most famous monuments of Rome. We will read the words of the ancient writers who wrote about the monuments and the emperors responsible for their construction. We will explore the details of the buildings themselves and the events that took place in them. Through extensive images, we will transport ourselves to the Rome of the emperors. This evening’s seminar, given by Eleanor Pollak, will attempt to bring to life the places and people who continue to stir the imaginations of all who visit Rome.

Please come and join us for this fun and educational workshop!

For more information and to reserve your place, please call us at 415.362.6025. Reservations and payments must be received 2 days prior to workshops.

The Roman Empire at its height spanned three continents and brought a long and unprecedented period of peace known as the Pax Romana to diverse peoples. The Roman military was largely unassailable; Latin was the language of culture and education, of law and commerce; the Romans brought high standards to urban development, with public works that were not again seen until the early 20th century; and the works of Roman writers continue to influence many areas of contemporary thought. But who were these people, and what foundation allowed them to come to such prominence in the Mediterranean world?

In this seminar, we will explore the roots of the Roman people through an examination of various sources. From the creation myths that the Romans held to be part of their history to the archaeological information known about the earliest tribes who lived along the Tiber River, the facts and stories which gave rise to the Roman collective identity are fascinating. With ties to two of the most important gods in their pantheon (Mars and Venus) and with a cultural heritage heavily influenced by both Etruscan and Greek peoples, the Romans wore a cultural mantle woven from many threads. This evening’s talk, given by Mary Blum, PhD, will look at how fact and myth combined to create the Roman identity.

For more information and to reserve your place, please call us at 415.362.6025. Reservations and payments must be received 2 days prior to workshops.

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Antonio Canova (November 1, 1757 - October 13, 1822) was an Italian sculptor who became famous for his marble sculptures that delicately rendered nude flesh. His work marked a return to classical refinement after the theatrical excesses of Baroque sculpture. He started practicing the art of sculpture in his early age, and continued throughout his whole life. The terseness of style and the faithful imitation of nature which characterized his works made him famous all over Italy at a very early age.

He died in Venice at the age of nearly sixty-five. His disease was one which had affected him from an early age, caused by the continual use of carving-tools, producing a depression of the ribs.

This workshop will explore Canova’s fundamental contribution to the Neoclassical period, as well as the innovation he brought to the art world. We will study and critique Canova’s works such as ”The Three Graces” at the Hermitage, “Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss” at the Louvre, and “Theseus and the Minotaur” at the Victorian and Albert Museum in London.

The instructor, Camilla Locatelli, graduated in Art History at the University of Parma, with a specialization in Contemporary Art.

Please come and join us for this fun and educational workshop!

For more information and to reserve your place, please call us at 415.362.6025. Reservations and payments must be received 2 days prior to workshops.

What does it mean when an Italian tugs at the corner of his eye? Draws a straight horizontal line in the air? Presses a forefinger into his cheek? Come and learn the secrets of Italian nonverbal communication as we explore the timeless gestures that say more than a thousand words.

This workshop brings classic stories by Natalia Ginzburg, Dario Fo and Luigi Pirandello to life by in-class enactments of dialogues and scenes. At this informal workshop you can develop new understanding of Italian literary works and improve your pronunciation and conversational ease. No acting ability or theatrical experience necessary!

For more information and to reserve your place, please call us at 415.362.6025. Reservations and payments must be received 2 days prior to workshops.

In this seminar, Eleanor Pollak and Mary Blum will explore ancient Britannia through its peoples, its history and its conquerors. A region rich in natural resources, Britannia became an object of desire for the Roman empire. Once annexed as a province, the Romans mixed with the indigenous peoples, giving rise to the Britons, a largely agrarian group dependent upon Rome for defense against the Celts and Picts who had been displaced. After Rome began to conserve its resources by pulling out of its farther provinces, the Britons ultimately needed to call upon the Germanic tribes (among them Angles, Saxons and Jutes) for defense. These mercenary warriors did not just repulse the Celts; they decided to stay, and thus the seed of Anglo-Saxon England was sown. Through an exploration of historical data, archaeological evidence and literary records, Eleanor and Mary will weave a tapestry of the rich early history of the island nation.

Gae Aulenti is one of the most famous Italian Architect in the world. Her prodigious and extensive career includes a wide range of project in different fields: museum and theater design, industrial and exhibition design, furniture, graphics, urban planning, and architecture. She is one of the few well recognized woman who belongs to the most prominent contemporary architects at work today.

She was born at Palazzolo della Stella, close to Udine (Italia). She graduated at the Politecnico di Milano in Architecture in 1954 and she started immediately her own private business. She was the creator of a large number of innovative and outstanding projects in Europe and all around the world:

- The transformation of the Gare d'Orsay (19th century) into Musée d'Orsay (1980-86, Paris, France).
- The Design of the Musée National d'Art Moderne at the Centre Pompidou (1982-85, Paris, France).
- The Design of Palazzo Grassi a (1985, Venezia, Italy).
- The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (1985, Barcelone, Spagna.).
- The direction of thje restoration of the Scuderie Papali (1999, Rome, Italy).
- The Asian Art Museum of San Francisco (1997-2001, San Francisco,United States).

The instructor, Valter Vangelisti, has two university degrees: one in Biogical Science at the University of Pisa and the other one in Interior Design and Architecture at the Academy of art University of San Francisco, with a specialization in Contemporary Furniture Design.

Increase your familiarity with Italian idiomatic expressions through dialogues that explore issues foremost among people – relationships with family, friendships, choosing a career and more. Students quickly develop a feel for how to use these expressions.

This powerful seminar will give you new ways to build up lexicon quickly and new ways to navigate the seemingly infinite space of vocabulary in ways that make sense and make it easy to organize your knowledge of words into manageable categories.

Learn to Cook while you learn to speak Italian!

We are offering an opportunity to learn to cook classic Italian dishes, while learn both the techniques of the Italian kitchen as well as the words and concepts associated with great cooking. You will learn the secrets of the soffrito, the beginning of all pasta recipes. This class will help the Italian student not only to cook but also to recognize regional dishes that are ubiquitous on restaurant menus.

We will all cook while we learn the techniques and terms for the ingredients And then sit down and eat what we have cooked!

Don Cushman is a novelist and publisher who divides his time between Berkeley and Rome, where he co-operates Le Fornicelle, a cooking school in the hills of Abruzzo, an hour East of Rome.

Michele Bloom, has been a private chef in Tuscany and cooked at many Berkeley restaurants, including Oliveto and Chez Panisse

Scopa, Scopone, Briscola…come learn a few of Italy’s most popular card games. We will get acquainted with “carte napoletane” and “carte bergamasche” while laughing and challenging each other. Next summer you too could be sipping grappa in a small Italian town, winning game after game against the locals!

This class cover various aspects of Italian prepositions and will include examples of each topic. Using interactive oral practice, students will gain an in depth knowledge of this important grammar concept.