The Bridge Book Award at Civitella Ranieri

This year's winners of the Bridge Book Award read from their work and fielded questions from the public in the castle library last Wednesday, 25 October. Representatives of the American Embassy in Rome were in attendance for the event.

Georgetown Professor Anna Harwell Celenza, winner of the Non-Fiction section,
read from the prologue of her book Jazz Italian Style: From its Origins
in New Orleans to Fascist Italy and Sinatra.

Jennifer Haigh, winner of the Fiction section, read from
her book Heat & Light.

The two authors answered questions from the audience after the readings.

Kate Tempest in Città di Castello

Current Fellow Kate Tempest was invited to Città di Castello last Saturday evening (28 October) for a panel discussion with Italian translator Ricardo Duranti, who translated her book-length poem Let Them Eat Chaos. Kate ended the evening by performing the poem live for the final time.

Originally scheduled to be held at Libreria Paci La Tifernate, the event was ultimately moved to the Teatro degli Illuminati due to space considerations. More than 150 people were in attendance.

Kate Tempest and translator Ricardo Duranti sit together
on stage to discuss her book.

Kate Tempest (Fellow 2017, DG 2015) performs Let Them Eat Chaos 
live for the final time. Photo credit: Serena Facchin/CaLibro Festival.

Kate Tempest on stage. Photo credit: Serena Facchin/CaLibro Festival.

Henrietta Rose-Innes & Judith Baulmer Presentations

Current Fellow Henrietta Rose-Innes and visiting guest Judith Baumel read their work in the castle library last Thursday, 26 October. The evening marked Civitella Ranieri's final public event of the 2017 season.

Judith Baumel read from her book of poetry. 

Henrietta Rose-Innes (Writing, South Africa) introduced her reading by
first speaking about borders in the context of Cape Town.

Group 4 Final Lunch

Last Friday, 27 October marked the Final Lunch for the final group of the season! As per tradition, the entire staff came to join in the festivities. Fellows received their program graduation certificates and shared a few final words with the group. The afternoon ended with Executive Director Dana Prescott's infamous Yankee Swap gift exchange.

The staff set a beautiful formal table for the event, complete with
custom painted nameplates.

Already departed Fellow Christian Mason (Music, UK)
joined the group via video message. 

Md. Abdul Momen (Milton) won the #1 pick in the Yankee Swap.

Program Coordinator Diego Mencaroni was feeling the
Christmas spirit already after opening his chosen gift.

Tiber River Hike

Civitellians went for a morning hike in the countryside near Perugia last Thursday, 26 October. We first found the Tiber, then followed the riverside to a nearby bakery to stop for breakfast.

Painter Augustine Boyce Cummings stops to admire the view.

Program Coordinator Diego Mencaroni explains the local lore
 attached to a shrine adjacent the trail.

Group photo by the riverside!

Birthdays at Civitella

How seriously do we take birthdays at Civitella? Here is Carl D'Alvia (DG 2009,2017) celebrating 52 years with two splendid cakes.

Surprise! The kitchen prepared a custom birthday cake and
two bottles of prosecco for the occasion.

Carl inspecting Chef Romana's craftsmanship.

Kate Tempest Presentation

Last Thursday, 19 October, current Fellow Kate Tempest (Writing, UK) performed a lyric-in-progress to an audience of Civitella Fellows, Guests and staff in the soggiorno di Scarabeo.

Kate Tempest performs her lyric without musical accompaniment
in a session closed to the public.

Open Gallery

Five visual artists currently in residence opened a group exhibition in the Civitella Gallery space last Friday, 20 October. Augustine Boyce Cummings (CRF 2017, USA), Milton Momen (CRF 2017, Bangladesh), Jackie Saccoccio (CRF 2017, USA) and Director's Guest Carl D'Alvia (USA) were all in attendance to present their work and answer questions from the public. The show continues to run until Thursday, 26 October and can be viewed upon reservation.

Guests were invited to freely browse the exhibition.

A guest inspects a piece-in-progress by Augustine Boyce Cummings.

Featured artist Milton Momen speaks to Music Fellow
Christian Mason (UK) about his work.

Carl D'Alvia speaks to the audience with one of his sculptures in the foreground.

Helena Tulve & Jerome Kitzke Presentations

Last Wednesday, 18 October marked another night of music at the Castle Ranieri. Both Helena Tulve and Jerome Kitzke presented their work to the public in a particularly intimate setting: from within the composer's studio Don Giovanni.

Music Fellow Helena Tulve (Estonia) gives a brief introduction to her
work before playing a composition she had written for vocal choir.

Director' Guest Jerome Kitzke (CRF 2003, USA) performs live at the piano.

Urbino Excursion

Civitellians spent an afternoon in the medieval, walled city of Urbino last Tuesday, 17 October. We first visited the Oratory of St. John the Baptist, known for it's stunning 14th century frescoes by the Salimbeni brothers. Later we headed to the Palazzo Ducale: previously home to Duke Federico III of Montefeltro, this UNESCO World Heritage Site now hosts a Renaissance museum with works from the likes of Raphael and Piero della Francesca.

Civitellians entering the walled heart of the city.

The Salimbeni frescoes in the Oratory of St. John the Baptist.

The courtyard of the Palazzo Ducale, known as one of the most
architecturally stunning in all of Italy.

Executive Director Dana Prescott explains varying interpretations of
 perhaps Piero's most enigmatic surviving work: The Flagellation.

Raphael's La Muta.

Always a favorite with our Fellows, restaurant Da Baffone serves
 a full course, entirely truffle-themed meal deep in the countryside near Gubbio.

Chris Brown & Christian Mason Presentations

Current Fellows Chris Brown (Music, USA) and Christian Mason (Music, UK) presented their work in the castle library last Thursday, 12 October. In addition to solo presentations, the two composers collaborated for a pair of live performances to both open and close the evening.

Christian Mason plays the theremin while Chris Brown accompanies
with a digital device.

Christian Mason's piece asked the audience to
play along with glass bottles and tin foil.

Harvest Season

Fruit has begun to ripen in Umbertide! Last Friday a group of Fellows helped us harvest pomegranates, grapes, corbezzolo and quince from around the property. The haul was taken directly to the kitchen staff, and will be used in the coming weeks.

Current fellow Chris Brown (Music, USA) chooses a quince to pick.

Picking grapes at one of our composer's studios.

The team.

The fruits of our labor.

Clara Balaguer & Polina Barskova Presentations

Last night's presentation was the first public event hosted in Galleria after nearly 2 years of restoration work on the Castle's outer wall. Current fellows Polina Barskova (Writing, Russia) and Clara Balaguer (Art, Philippines) shared their work with the public after a welcoming aperitivo in the Giardino Segreto. 

Clara and Polina enjoyed a glass of wine together in the
Giardino Segreto before their presentations.

Polina Barskova reads an English translation of her own poem.

Title screen of Balaguer's film, which detailed her experience
with the indigenous Aeta tribe of the Philippines.

Balaguer asked the audience to stand for the last portion
 of her presentation.

Climbing Monte Corona

A group of fellows followed Program Coordinator Diego Mencaroni to an old monastery situated atop Monte Corona last Saturday, 7 October.

Taking a rest.

On the trail.

Pilgrimage to Assisi

On Tuesday, 10 October a group of Civitellians ventured out to Assisi. In the morning we visited the famous Basilica of St. Francis, and after lunch we stopped by Ubaldo Grazia Ceramics, owned and operated by the same family for 25 generations.

Current fellows - Helena Tulve (Music, Estonia), Milton Momen (Visual Art, Bangladesh),
Christian Mason (Music, UK) and Chris Brown (Music, USA) -
stand outside the Basilica di San Francesco.

Lunch break at La Stalla.

Civitellians learning how the ceramics are made, step by step.

Director's Guest Sheila Berger (USA) with writing Fellow Odai Al Zoubi (Syria).

Excursion to La Verna & Sansepolcro

Civitellians went to explore another pair of Tuscan towns last Tuesday, 3 October. First we visited a Franciscan sanctuary in La Verna where St. Francis received the stigmata. Later, still on the trail of early renaissance painter Piero della Francesca, we visited Sansepolcro, home to Piero's The Resurrection.

2017 Fellows Md Abdul Momen (Bangladesh),
 Clara Balaguer (Philippines), and Kate Tempest (UK).

Executive Director Dana Prescott speaks to the group.

Director's Guest Gael Towey enjoys the view from the sanctuary in La Verna.

Civitellians in the Franciscan Sanctuary.

Lunch break!