Club members’ Italian film/opera suggestions to check out

Buondì.

Club members sometimes send links they think I’d be interested in, or hope I will share more widely.

Given that my workload is overwhelming right now, and that time spent with Roomie cuts the working day in half, I thought I’d cheat today, and post them here, for you to check out.

Following on from our recent ‘easy reader’ in the new ‘opera series’, Aida, Patricia sent this link to a Youtube version: https://youtu.be/jU6-Op4w5ec

There are subtitles in Italian, apparently. For reasons mentioned above, I haven’t watched it myself, but Patricia can be trusted, I’m sure. Also, YouTube reviewer, Shahrdad, writes this:

This must be the most intimate, the most touching Aida I’ve ever seen. They all seem so human, and the intimacy makes it seem that we’re watching the actual story on which a grand opera was later based. Scott Pipers Celeste Aida is the tenderest version I’ve ever heard, and the Aida looks just like I’ve always imagine Aida must’ve looked. And she sings beautifully too. The Amneris is young and madly in love. This version, done in a 350 seat theater in Verdi’s hometown of Busseto, made me weep for Aida, for Radames, and even for Amneris. They really seem like real characters rather than stock characters one often encounters in opera. The big ballet numbers are gone, as there is almost no room in that tiny theater for a ballet corps, but I didn’t really miss them.

Thanks to both.

Overnight Derek sent this:

In case you were thinking of Otello, I could only find one on YouTube with Italian subtitles,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YTmCqYq-aI, but it’s in modern dress.

The other is in traditional costume but no subtitles, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETsneoOfOIA.

However Rai did a production but it’s not on YouTube but if you have access to RaiPlay it’s from Teatro San Carlo and is pretty good, https://www.raiplay.it/video/2017/03/Otello-Teatro-San-Carlo-ea12f1c5-e61c-476d-825f-071b45ae9bc3.html

I checked that last link and got the following message “Per vedere questo video devi essere registrato a RaiPlay”. I am, but only on my phone, so didn’t explore further. RaiPlay is free to anyone who lives, or is, in Italy. For the rest of you, it’ll be geo-blocked, meaning that the system will know you’re in Australia, or wherever, and stop you accessing the content, for copyright reasons. A simple Google search on how to get around geo-blocking might turn up a solution, at least for the more lawless amongst you.

On to Edward, who’s into cinema rather than opera. He’s sent various links, so I’ll list them below, with quotes from YouTube, where appropriate:

Johnny Stecchino https://youtu.be/ZcXcsbh5j8w Very famous, this one, and I definitely, definitely mean to watch it, some time when I’m not wrangling small animals. It’s worth looking just at the first scene, at least – “Vuoi fare l’amore con me? Adesso? Subito?” I don’t remember the last time anyone said that to me… Click the CC button under the Youtube screen for subtitles in Italian.

Dante (Roberto Benigni) è il tipico perdente nato. Niente funziona per lui, specialmente in amore. Un giorno viene investito da una donna bella e ricca (Nicoletta Braschi), che gli dà un po’ di speranza. Ma per stare con lei, Dante deve andare in Sicilia, dove il marito di questa donna (interpretato anche da Benigni) è un gangster noto come Johnny lo Stuzzicadenti (“stecchino” in italiano). Fuorilegge per aver denunciato alcuni mafiosi locali che lo vogliono morto, la salvezza di Johnny potrebbe risiedere nella sorprendente somiglianza con Dante. (source: YouTube)

Quell’estate https://youtu.be/Gs61Y3Rvcc4

Una delle commedie romantiche più dolci e simpatiche degli ultimi anni, con Alessandro Haber e Diane Fleri. Presentato alla Festa del Cinema di Roma. La famiglia Rienzi trascorre l’estate nella vecchia casa di campagna in Toscana. Le loro vite si incroceranno e scontreranno fra sogni e speranze. Il quindicenne Matteo, rimandato in ben tre materie, scoprirà i palpiti del primo amore, sua sorella Eleonora, ragazza madre, dovrà trovare l’uomo giusto, mentre i loro genitori cercheranno di risollevare le sorti di un matrimonio in crisi. Quell’estate sarà il dolce ricordo di una famiglia rivoluzionata dall’Amore e le sue sfumature. (source: YouTube)

Pane, amore e fantasia https://youtu.be/PxnyPAUIhkA – a very famous movie in black and white. Like everything here, I haven’t watched it. But Wikipedia has this page.

Le stelle inquiete (film biografico su Simone Weil) https://youtu.be/ykiizc1gMAo – I’d never heard of it, or him. But Edward must like it and presumably thinks you might do, too. There are no captions or subitles, except where the soundtrack is in French.

Here’s an important tip for watching Italian movies, or TV: have fun!

It’s not a test. No one says you have to understand everything, or even anything. I often don’t! That’s normal.

So grab the popcorn, open a can of cold beer, and just watch – to the end, if you can.

After which you can boast to friends, colleagues, and family members that you saw an Italian movie, ALL THE WAY THROUGH!

Bet they’ll be impressed.

A venerdì!

P.S.

This week at EasyReaders.org we’ve published a new ‘easy reader’ ebook, part of the ‘A day in the life of’ series of tales from the lives of famous ‘Italians’.

So far, these have included Galileo, Colombo, Raffaello, Vivaldi, Leonardo, Garibaldi, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Verdi, and, um, Plinio. See them all here.

This time, though, it’s a more modern figure, the ‘father of radio’,  Nobel-prize winner Guglielmo Marconi. The story is called Tutti parlano di Marconi, because a hundred or so years ago, everyone was!

The level of this one is B1/B2, so intermediate. Until Sunday February 12th it’s reduced 25% from the usual ebook price – just £5.99. There are full details below, but as always, I suggest checking out the FREE sample chapter (.pdf) before you buy your copy.

That way, you’ll know whether the level is suitable and that the format works on the device you intend to use it on.

An original Italian easy reader by Francesca Colombo

Guglielmo’s mother is explaining to the university physics professor that her son finds school boring, and is, in any case, busy with his hobbies, so she doesn’t insist he go. The professor nods politely – he’s used to wealthy families and their spoilt, lazy offspring…

The woman continues – her son is designing, what does he call it, ‘a battery’ – in the little laboratory they’ve built for him. The nodding stops. Perhaps the Marconi boy really doesn’t need to go to school? Bring him along to the university, the professor suggests. Why not tomorrow?

Improve your Italian reading and listening skills with this intermediate-level ‘easy reader’ ebook:

• .pdf e-book (+ audio available free online)
• .mobi (Kindle-compatible) and .epub (other ebook readers) available on request at no extra charge – just add a note to the order form or email us
• 8 chapters to read and listen to
• Comprehension questions to check your understanding
• Italian/English glossary of ‘difficult’ terms for the level
• Suitable for students at intermediate level or above
• Download your Free Sample Chapter (.pdf)

Buy Tutti parlano di Marconi just £5.99 | FREE sample chapter (.pdf) | ‘Day in the life of…’ series | Catalog

How do I access my ebook?

When your order is ‘completed’ (normally, immediately after your payment), a download link will be automatically emailed to you. It’s valid for 7 days and 3 download attempts so please save a copy of the .pdf ebook in a safe place. Other versions of the ebook (.mobi/Kindle-compatible, .epub) cannot be downloaded but will be emailed to people who request them.

P.P.S.

Have you read/listened to Tuesday’s bulletin of ‘easy’ Italian news?

If not, why not subscribe, and so receive each thrice-weekly bulletin (text + online audio) directly in your email inbox, each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday?

Subscribing is FREE, too.

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