Nanni Moretti’s film Habemus Papam (2011) will open on April 6th. It tells the story of a newly elected pope who doesn’t want the job and has a psychological crisis. It’s a very understated movie without a lot of action and a great performance by Michel Piccoli as the pope. Moretti himself plays the psychoanalyst brought in to treat the pope as the world awaits an announcement from the Vatican. Through a twist of events the pope manages to flee the Vatican and wanders around Rome. There are some great scenes, most notably of cardinals playing volleyball, a tournament organized by Moretti’s character. Although there are comic moments, as in all Moretti’s movies, it’s not a real comedy and the ending reminds us of the human being behind the titles or positions.
Year: 2012 (page 3 of 4)
In recent years, prosecco, the sparkling wine, has steadily been gaining popularity. Its appeal lies in its generally good quality and its fresh, bright taste. Prosecco, rare for an Italian wine, is named for the grape it is made from. (Today the grape is known as glera.) Most prosecco is produced in the hills – rive – of Valdobbiadene and Conegliano, near Treviso. It usually does not have a vintage and is drunk young. In 2009 a new area for prosecco production was established in Friuli; there large vineyards using mechanical harvesting produce a more generic wine. As a result, winemakers in the original prosecco areas have been trying to distinguish their wines – now called prosecco superiore and designated DOCG, the highest level in Italian wine. Prosecco from these hillsides is today often made from one vintage and sometimes comes from a single vineyard. Producers are also experimenting with different fermentation techniques, both modern and ancient. It all means that prosecco lovers have a wide variety to choose from and some noteworthy wines to taste.
It’s the last week to see the Met’s exhibition of Renaissance portraits, on view until March 18th. It is a splendid show that traces the evolution of portraiture in the 15th Century from a standard format to more realistic depictions. Towards the middle of the 1400s the subjects of the paintings came to have a more life-like, vital appearance. Rather than being simply idealized representations, the sitters showed expression and were often painted with negative qualities – physical and spiritual – visible. Perhaps most impressive are some of the marble busts on view: the sculptures show features that are amazingly expressive and, in the case of Desiderio da Settignano’s “Bust of a Young Woman,” enchanting.
In Italy at this time of year – in the weeks leading up to Ash Wednesday and culminating in martedi’ grasso – it is the season of Carnevale. It is possibly the most festive time of the year when children wear costumes and left over colorful coriandoli (confetti) dot the streets. Some towns, like Viareggio, celebrate with processions of allegorical floats. Venice is well-known for its carnival masks and festivities. Many special sweets, like the Roman frappe and the Neapolitan zeppole, are made at home or sold in pasticcerie at this time.
The origins of Carnevale are ancient: there were various pagan festivals in which masks were donned to ward off evil spirits. The Romans also celebrated holidays such as the Saturnalia, a period when masks were worn, class order was overturned and street festivities abounded. In Christian times these rites evolved into the pre-Lenten forms of popular entertainment. In the courts of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the festivities became more sophisticated and were tied to theater, music and dance. Still today the festive aspect of costumes and masks and parties endures before the start of a (supposed) more sober season.
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