Anyone who has attended a presentation by Lyric Opera Music Director Designate Enrique Mazzola knows what a dynamic speaker he is. Now the whole world can bask in his unique presence via an original and engaging web series dubbed “Breaking Down the Score: Attila.” Each of the 12 episodes in this series features a personal interpretation and reading by Maestro Mazzola of a musical number from Verdi’s early opera “Attila.” Launched in October and running through mid-December, the entire series can be viewed by subscribing to the Lyric’s YouTube channel. To view current and previous episodes, click here.  

Chicago writer-director Lucia Mauro will premiere her new film, “I Have a Name,” online at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9. The one-hour documentary is co-produced by In My Brother’s Shoes Inc., the nonprofit film organization founded by Mauro and producer Joe Orlandino, and Jacqueline C. Hayes, founder and president emerita of the Chicago HELP Initiative (CHI). The film gives voice to individuals experiencing homelessness and explores the programs CHI offers on their behalf. “I Have a Name” puts a face on homelessness by focusing on the efforts of CHI and its partners to provide access to meals, health services, shelter, …

The sun shines a little brighter in both Northwest Indiana and the southeast corner of the Chicago area thanks to the Italian American Women’s Club of Lake County. Founded in 1965, the venerable nonprofit promotes friendship among its members, celebrates Italian culture, and supports charities here and abroad. The club was launched in East Chicago, Indiana, by the wives of the members of the Cesare Battisti Lodge No. 27. When the lodge opened Villa Cesare at 900 Eagle Ridge Drive in Schererville, Indiana, the IAWC moved its base of operations there. Members gather on the second Thursday of each month, …

The Sicily-based Solunto Foundation has presented Fra Noi columnist Robert Allegrini with its Solunto Award in recognition of the “commitment he lavished on helping to spread the image of Italy” through his travel writing. The foundation presents awards annually to honorees around the world who help promote cultural tourism. The 2021 awards will be held in Chicago.  

Nancy Brunetti-Blomquist was born and raised in Mola di Bari, Italy, and has dedicated her professional career to teaching the language of her ancestors to American students of all ages. It should come as no surprise then that her passion for her ancestry has rubbed off on her children. The former Chicago-area resident now lives with her family in Ventura, California, and her 13-year-old son, Alexander, recently launched a podcast called “Cultural Capture,” on which he celebrates America’s ethnic diversity. His first three shows focus on Italy, of course! (capsmedia.org/podcasts/cultural-capture/)    

Roberto Barbanente, a senior vice president and financial advisor at Morgan Stanley’s Chicago Wealth Management office, has been named to Forbes magazine’s America’s Top Next Generation Wealth Advisors since the list’s inception. Launched in 2017, the listing spotlights individuals born in 1980 or later who have at least four years of industry experience and either lead their teams or are viewed as potential leaders. The ranking is based on qualitative and quantitative data regarding revenue trends, compliance records, industry experience and best practices. Barbanente is the son  Vito Barbanente, owner of Pescatore in Franklin Park.  

Chicago-born filmmaker Giancarlo Iannotta’s “My Country” is a labor of love and symbol of pride for his Italian origins. A story of two brothers who meet as adults, the film is a lighthearted adventure with dramatic undertones, which deal with issues of abandonment and the lifetime repercussions it could bring when left unaddressed. As Lucky (Giancarlo Iannotta) cares for his dying father, a family secret is revealed. Once his father passes away, he boards a plane to Rome in search of the truth and finds his long lost brother, Francesco (Antonio Palumbo). Francesco’s initial reaction is to run the other …

Salvatore Sciacca was raised in the Chicago area, but he was immersed in the culture of Sicily throughout his childhood. His parents, Joseph and Mary, were born in the Sicilian town of Ciminna, and the family spent six weeks each summer on that storied isle. As he matured, Sciacca broadened his scope, signing up for four years of Italian language classes in college, taking trips every few years to Italy and joining several local groups for young Italian-American adults. In 2014, he took his devotion to his roots to the next level with the creation of Chicagoland Italian American Professionals. …

Chicago attorney Jim Morici knows the importance of a safe workplace and community. A founding partner in the law firm Morici, Longo & Associates, he has been fighting for the rights of injured workers and accident victims for more than three decades. The firm’s attorneys took swift action to put office safety protocols in place during the pandemic, but they saw an opportunity to do more. They’ve kicked into high gear on several charitable fronts, donating thousands of dollars to the Illinois Food Bank, Greater Chicago Food Depository and Maine Township Food Pantry, in addition to $10,000 to the American …

This year’s IA Literati seminar was held as a virtual gathering on June 13. The event was different from any of the previous 16 instalments, according to Professor Dominic Candeloro, curator of the Florence Roselli library in the Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia. “Authors could not gather in person due to COVID-19 so we were presented with the challenge of meeting electronically over Zoom. I must say that we all missed gathering together but we were able to expand the scope of the event beyond the Chicago area to across the country and to Italy, with more than 100 …