Calendar

Make your own Limoncello at Casa Belvedere!
A special paint-and-sip workshop
Hosted by Ciao & Cello
Thursday, June 2 • 7 to 9 pm 

During this fun event, you will learn how to make Limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in Southern Italy, especially in the region around the Sorrentine Peninsula and the coast of Amalfi.

The two-hour guided paint-and-sip experience includes a signature cocktail made with Limoncello, served with Italian cookies; and all supplies and instruction to decorate your own glass bottle with designs from the Italian Amalfi coast.

Cost is $70 for members, $75 for non-members.

Limited seating available – this event will sell out quickly! Register today!

The Baths of Caracalla 

A presentation by Francesco Bonavita, Ph. D. 

In-person and virtual event on Tuesday, June 7 at 7 pm 

The epithet “Rome, the eternal city” has always resonated in Francesco Bonavita ever since he was a child. Taken at face value, it means the city has always existed and will continue to be so indefinitely. Recently, Bonavita revisited the Baths of Caracalla site, which for many centuries accommodated as many as 8,000 visitors each day.

Even though the area has suffered defacement and pillaging over time, one can still admire its architectural splendor, which provided inspiration for future builders of cathedrals during the Middle Ages, and, in modern times, it inspired architects when designing train stations across the world.

Thus, the term “eternal” is not simply relegated to the notion that Rome will perpetuate itself, but rather that the antiquity of Rome will continue to be a source of inspiration. The baths, as with so many other structures, embodied the identity of ancient Rome. In this presentation, we hope to give credit to Romans baths and to see why they were admired as wonders of the world.

Celebrating all father figures in June, the Italian Cultural Foundation at Casa Belvedere presents Author Lucy Antel Johnson and her book:
THIS WAS TOSCANINI: The Maestro, My Father, and Me 
By Samuel Antek and Lucy Antek Johnson
In Person event on Tuesday, June 14, 7 pm

Samuel Antek, a first violinist with the acclaimed NBC Symphony Orchestra, captured for posterity what it was like to perform under the baton of the legendary Maestro Arturo Toscanini, widely considered the greatest conductor of the mid-20^th century.

In his musical memoir, Antek takes readers behind the scenes during hundreds of rehearsals, concerts, tours and grueling recording sessions. He shares keen observations of Toscanini’s approach to music making, his unpredictable moods and passions, his relentless demands on himself and his musicians, and his unwavering dedication to faithfully interpreting composers’ works.

Now, Antek’s daughter, former television producer Lucy Antek Johnson, brings an expanded edition, THIS WAS TOSCANINI: The Maestro, My Father and Me, making Toscanini’s legacy available to new generations of students, musicians, music historians, and classical music fans.

Johnson’s new essays highlight her father’s rise from first violinist to conductor and musical director of major American orchestras, while sharing her own reflection of what it was like to grow up with a gifted father and the impact Toscanini had on their family and her father’s career.

Johnson will sign books brought to the event; the book will also be available for sale at the event. 

Experience the passion and power of the voice that is defining the new Golden Age of Tenors!

Join us for Casa Belvedere’s premiere evening of “Musica Sotte Le Stelle” with international classical-crossover vocalist
Christopher Macchio
Tuesday, June 21 • 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Doors open at 6 pm
Come savor fine dining “al fresco” style while enjoying Macchio’s golden-era spectacular voice imbued with a timeless passion and romantic sensability. Added bonus: mesmerizing views of New York City’s Harbor and the Verrazzano Bridge as a backdrop! Reserve now – this event will sell out quickly!

In the event of rain, the show will be presented indoors, and tables will be combined to hold 10 people each.