Founded in 1949 by Countess Lillian Dandini, Mrs. Dobbins D’Anneo and Mr. Louis Piccirillo, The Leonardo Da Vinci Society was incorporated as a

non profit on July 25, 1951 to promote a broad and deep understanding and appreciation of Italian contribution to art, literature, and culture by

means of lectures, concerts, exhibits and receptions honoring distinguished persons.

The Leonardo Da Vinci Society is a 501©(3) non profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law.

www.davincisanfrancisco.com

The Leonardo Da Vinci Society

Newsletter January–May 2017

Dear Members of the Leonardo da Vinci Society,

As we approach a new year, we reflect on what makes this Society unique and on the reasons why we would like your continued support.

A very precious description by our Vice President Vincent Fausone defines our identity: ”The Leonardo da Vinci Society is unique among the numerous and honorable Italo American organizations. The Society promotes knowledge and connoisseurship of the unique and stellar contributions that have been made by Italians through the millennia to the world at large. Architecture, music, sculpture, paintings, literature, and the extraordinary scientific discoveries of the Italian Peninsula deserve special recognition and it is the mission of the Society that everyone is made aware of the invaluable, original, and exceptional contributions that have been made by Italians over the centu-ries.”

I wish to thank all who have attended recent events and especially the Golden Gala, our annual fundraiser. We could not have done it without you. At the same time, I would like to invite those members who could not attend recent events to re-approach us and look at the great programs that our event chair, Paola Tonelli, has put together for you. And check out the Giovani events in January and February that the whole family can enjoy.

We look forward to seeing all of you in the New Year.

Happy Holidays to all!

Amelia Antonucci President

amelia.antonucci@gmail.com

Board of Directors:

Amelia Antonucci - President

Sonia Alioto - Membership Chair

Vincent Fausone - Vice President

Lorraine Legg - Treasurer

Jeanette Adams - Recording Secretary

Paola Tonelli - Event Chair

Sabrina Longega Wilson - Social Chair

Laura Piccirillo Waste - Society Historian

Alessandro Baccari - Italian Heritage Historian

Colomba Ghigliotti - Special Project Coordinator

Valentina Consolo - Giovani Co-Chair

Isabella Weiss di Valbranca - Giovani Co-Chair

Francesca Bannerman - Legal Counsel; COMITES adjunct member

CALENDAR OF THE EVENTS January-May 2017

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6, at 5:00pm "Festa Della Befana"

. Istituto Italiano di Cultura, “Evento Giovani”, for children

of all ages. Refreshments, music, and performances.

In Italian folklore, La Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to St. Nicholas or Santa Claus. A popular belief is that her name derives from the Feast of Epiphany or in Italian La Festa dell'Epifania. Michelle Longega Wilson, a 10 years old author, will talk about the history of La Befana. Every kid is invited to recite a Befana poem and will receive a sock full of goodies!

The movie: “La Freccia Azzurra” will close the evening.

Tuesday, JANUARY 10, at 7:30pm "Borromini, Bernini, and the Rivalry that

Shaped Baroque Rome"

Museo Italo Americano, by Michael Stehr.

Francesco Borromini and Gian Lorenzo Bernini are two giants of 17th century Italian architecture, and both are considered founders of the Baroque style. But the two men could not have been more different, in both temperament and in the kind of work that they produced. While continually competing for the same commissions, both would eventually contribute works that would be regarded as some of the finest architectural achievements

regarded as some of the finest architectural achievements in Western Art. Michael Stehr will discuss the careers of these artists, the differences between their aesthetics, and how the rivalry between them shaped the skyline of Baroque Rome.

Free for LDV members, $5 for everybody else.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, at 10:00am "Frank Stella: A Retrospective"

A guided tour at the De Young Museum.

This retrospective of Frank Stella surveys the career of this towering figure in post-WWII American art. Fifty works, in-cluding paintings, reliefs, sculptures and maquettes, are dis-played, representing Frank Stella’s prolific output from the late 1950s to the present day. This will be the first compre-hensive U.S. presentation devoted to the artist since 1970.

Maximum 20 people. Brunch at the Museum following.

February 18, at 4:30pm "Conscious robots? Fact or fiction?"

Museo Italo Americano, By Federico Faggin

Federico Faggin will explain the near-miraculous phenome-non of consciousness and will highlight the basic differences between a computer and a living system. He will also de-scribe the nature of consciousness in much depth, and some of his conjectures on the origin of life and consciousness.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24, at 6:30pm "Carnevale"

Italian Athletic Club, “Evento Giovani”, Masquerade, Dinner

and Dance for families. Children encouraged.

Enjoy a family evening of fun! Dress in costume and be ready

to eat, dance and be part of a contest. Live music!

$75 per person and $25 per child

. Tuesday, FEBRUARY 28, at 5:00

"L’Italia di San Remo"

Italian Cultural Institute, “Evento Giovani”, by

Rolando Giambelli

LdV Society in collaboration with the IIC will host an evening

about Italian Music. Rolando Giambelli, photographer, musi-

cian, and judge of San Remo 2016, will talk about the history

of the festival and enlighten us with a few behind the scenes

“secrets”.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8, at 6:30pm

"International Women Day"

Italian Cultural Center, “Italian Women Artists and writers

of the Renaissance” by author Natalia Costa.

Natalia Costa-Zalessow, Professor

Emerita in the Department of For-

eign Languages and Literature at San

Francisco State University, has

written extensively about Italian

women writers and poets from the

XIII to the XX century and is a fre-

quent contributor to academic jour-

nals and literary dictionaries.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22, at 6:00pm "Italian Contemporary Cinema"

4 films to be announced - screening at SFIAC

THURSDAY, MAY 11, at 6:30pm

"Guglielmo Marconi"

Istituto Italiano Di Cultura, a conference

LdV Society in collaboration with the IIC will hold the first

conference of a cycle on one of today’s Italian scientists in

the Bay Area, in the past and now.

Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937), inventor of wireless radio, is the first past Italian scientist to be celebrated. Today’s young Italian scientist will join us and describe his achieve-ments.

MAY EVENTS - Date TBD

"Trip To Tomales"

Field trip to the Marconi Conference Center in Tomales. Visit to the History Room at Marconi Center, curated by Elia Haworth. The exhibition presents a 100-year look at the development of wireless radio technology still widely used today and highlights historic events that transpired at the Marshall, Point Reyes, and Bolinas stations.

"May Annual Alfresco Meeting"

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To Join the Leonardo Da Vinci Society, apply on line at www.davincisanfrancisco.org

Leonardo Giovani : This program is geared towards the interests of younger members until 50 years old (for 2016-2017 only). The Leonardo Young will have its own events and every member, regardless of the age, can participate. From wine tasting to concerts, to art, and food events; the Leonardo Young mission is to deliver fun and culture to the younger professional.

A special thanks to all our members and friends for your continuous support!

HAVE A GREAT

2017!