Leisure News

The Onesti Entertainment Corporation was awarded the contract to produce the Taylor Street Festa Italiana in 2018. The event will take place this year from Aug. 16 to 19. The news comes from the awarding body, The Little Italy Chicago Neighborhood Association. “We couldn’t be more excited,” says LICNA president Joseph Esposito. “Ron Onesti knows this neighborhood as well as anyone, and we truly believe his heart is in the right place. His goals align with ours and his reputation is stellar.” Onesti currently produces Festa Pasta Vino on Oakley Avenue and Little Italy Fest-West in Addison. He previously produced …

The Italian American Theatre of Chicago presented “Vispetta” in the Community Center at Casa Italia in March. Adapted by Colleen Mraz from traditional 16th-century commedia dell’arte, the farce followed the misadventures of two star-crossed lovers, their clueless parents and their wily servant, Vispetta. True to its commedia roots, the principal actors wore masks and the humor was “slapstick,” a term that refers to a prop used in carnevale revels in Renaissance Venice. A medley of Italian songs performed by Joyce Marcheschi Westphal and Leonard Palombi greeted guests as they enjoyed wine and stuzzichini before a pizza dinner. The performance was …

The Vince Chiarelli Band continues to redefine traditional Italian music with the release of its self-titled third album. Featuring Vince Chiarelli on vocals and guitar, Frank Calvagna on guitar, and Tony Chiarelli on bass, the band has made a name for itself by infusing Italian and Italian-American favorites with bossa nova and flamenco rhythms. Among the dozen tracks on their latest CD are “Quando Quando Quando,” “Bella Notte,” “Spanish Eyes” and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.” The Rockford-based band upholds the legacy of Chiarelli’s grandfather and namesake, Vince, a Sicilian-born songwriter and musician. (vincechiarelliband.com)

Onesti Entertainment opened three new food and music venues in one place at the former 27 Live building in Evanston in January. After almost two years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations, Rock ’N Ravioli Italian restaurant, Bourbon ’N Brass speakeasy bar and the Evanston Rocks music hall are now in full swing. Rock ’N Ravioli serves up recipes from the family kitchen of founder and CEO Ron Onesti. The “Rock ’N Rav” menu boasts an array of homemade fillings and sauces, including braised short ribs and potato, chicken Vesuvio, lobster and asparagus, and pumpkin with a Frangelico …

When the Avondale Neighborhood Association asked Tony Passero to paint a pair of murals beneath the Metra viaduct on Kedzie near Belmont, the artist wanted to conjure something that reflected the spirit of the community. Having grown up in the neighborhood, he was in a unique position to tap into that spirit. He first went in search of the one word that best captures the essence of Avondale, but came up with a whole list instead: Strength, Grit, Perseverance, Ambition, Resilience, Hardiness, Motivating, Persistence, Tenacity, Diligence, Dedication, Commitment, Fortitude, Dignity, Honor, Passion, Vitality, Grace, Poise, Elegance, Finesse, Flexibility, Decency, Agility, …

Casa Italia devotde its fall film series to the works of acclaimed Italian film director Vanna Paoli. A co-writer of the Oscar-winning “Cinema Paradiso,” Paoli went on to direct nine films of her own. (See profile below.) Now living in the northern suburbs of Chicago, was on hand to offer insights into the creation of all four of the films in the series. A profile appears below. The films in the series were as follows. Friday, October 20 – “Cinema Paradiso” Young Salvatore Di Vita discovers the perfect escape from life in his war-torn Sicilian village: the local movie house …

  “Carmen” has been in the very first circle of popular operas for over a century. Anyone with any level of interest in the Grand Art should develop some kind of familiarity with it. As it is with all other very beloved operas, first and foremost “Carmen” is loaded from beginning to end with beautiful and memorable music — solo arias, ensembles, choruses — and even a number of purely instrumental passages that are unforgettable. The music is the creation of composer Georges Bizet, who unfortunately died young (at 36), and before he knew what a triumph “Carmen” had become. …

  With the Chicago Cubs making it to the World Series for the first time in 71 years, Cubs fever has swept the metropolitan area. In the 45th Ward, Jefferson Park Forward commissioned artist Tony Passero to paint a retro mural across from the Jefferson Park Terminal showcasing Cubs legends like Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg, Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. As the December issue went to press, Passero was putting the finishing touches on a mural across from Wrigley Field spotlighting members of the current Cubs roster. Commissioned by Major League Baseball, the mural was done in time for the …

  The artwork of Filippo Aliperta will be on display at the Book Market at Hangar One in Glenview through December. Born in Somma Vesuviana near Napoli, Aliperta has been painting since the seventh grade, learning over the years to create paintings in oils, acrylics and pen and ink and sculptures in ceramics, stone, metal and glass. A cosmetologist by profession, he owns Estetica Professional Hair Design in Glenview. He is a member of the Glenview Art League, North Shore Art League and Casa Italia Art League and he has served as president of Associazione Regionale Campania.

    In “da Vinci & Michelangelo: The Titans Experience,” the curator of the da Vinci exhibit running through Christmas at Water Tower Place will take audiences on a journey through the Italian Renaissance as seen through the eyes these monumental geniuses. By comparing and contrasting their lives and accomplishments, Mark Rodgers relates them to today’s world while helping audience members discover their inner da Vinci and Michelangelo. The multi-media event features movies, videos, 3-D animations and images of their inventions, machines, sketches, codices, paintings and sculptures. For additional information and tickets, visit www.discoverdavinci.com.