According to The Canadian Music Hall of Fame, in which Domenic Troiano was inducted in 1996, Troiano solidified his music legacy by being one of the principal originators of “The Toronto Sound,” a soulful, Motown-inspired version of rock and roll. More than 20 years after his passing, he remains larger than life.
To see the world through the eyes of Sandra Manzi is to enter a realm of infinite possibilities. As a contemporary realist painter based in Hamilton, Ontario, she finds inspiration everywhere in her midst. “My paintings are a manifestation of my deep exploration into the human experience and the raw emotions that reside within us. My aim is to evoke a sense of connection and introspection for the other people we share this world with, inviting viewers to embark on a personal journey of self-discovery.”
A new children’s book by Italian-Canadian singer/songwriter Frank Moyo celebrates the unique bond between a Nonna and her grandchild. The bilingual book, written in both English and Italian, brings to life a song that Moyo wrote for his Nonna Finuzza the night she passed away.
Carole Giangrande is an award-winning author of over ten books, ranging from novels, short story collections, children’s books, to poetry. Her latest collection, this may be the year, is a wonderful exploration of the connection between human emotion and nature.
“My cooking classes are intuitive. No mixers. No measuring cups. It’s the way your Nonna’s in the small Italian village made their pasta. They understood their environment, the weather, the humidity. I don’t just teach them how to cook. I teach people to understand what they’re doing. I teach them to connect to the ingredients, to the culture behind that recipe,” explains entrepreneur and Italian culture guru Daniela Sfara.
Lyricalmyrical Books is an independent publishing house based in Toronto. Its founder, the late Luciano Iacobelli, published works of poetry by over 100 Canadian poets. Today, Giuliano Iacobelli is following in his father’s footsteps, with a focus on the works of Canadian and Italian visual artists.
Years in the making, A Literary Harvest: Canadian Writing About Wine and Other Libations includes exciting writing from 42 Canadian writers who explore the making, drinking, and symbolism of this age-old beverage.
“It really started as something fun to do in my spare time. I never expected that I would be doing shows at Place des Arts, at Place Bell, in the U.S.,” explains Ralph Buttino. VMG Entertainment is probably best known for its Italian Bad Boyz of Comedy series. Buttino gambled on a unique concept: a roster of three up-and-coming standup comics of Italian origin in an Italian reception hall. Buffet dinner first, then the entertainment. Target audience: the Italian community of Montreal. It worked.
John Calabro's latest novella, Laura's Uncovering, gives us the stunning story of Laura and her husband, Sal; a couple struggling to make sense of their future, whilst living in a city overflowing with undiscovered history.
The Association of Italian Canadian Writers' 2024 biannual conference in Toronto brought together a diverse group of writers, scholars and artists to explore themes of literary and artistic culture under the banner “The Vines of Diaspora.”
Licia Canton is an editor, instructor, mentor, and writer. Most recently, she edited Here & Now Volume 2: An Anthology of Queer Italian-Canadian Writing.
For many years, I never read or saw stories about Italian-Canadians. I would say they are still a rarity. So many of the stories that we see as “Italian-something” are actually Italian-American stories or based on Mafia stereotypes. I like a good gangster story as much as the next person, but it’s getting to be a lazy, tired stereotype. Yes, Cold City is a crime story, but it’s also a story about people: immigration, desperation and redemption, not another version of The Godfather. It’s time to tell other stories and I’m very happy to tell them.