Sounds and Words of Romania

KNOWING ITALY/ CUNOSCAND ITALIA

Capital and the largest city: Rome/ Capitala si orasul cel mai mare: Roma

Official language/ limba oficiala: Italian/ italiana

Government/ guvernare: parliamentary republic/ republica parlamentara

Formation/Formare:

Unification/ uniurea: March 17^th, 1861

Republic/ republica: June 2^nd, 1946

EU Accession/ aderare UE: March 25^th, 1957 (founder member/ membru fondator)

The Italian Flag / Steagul Italian: green- hope, love and joy; white- peace and honesty; red- bravery, strength and valor/ verde- speranta, dragoste, fericire; albul- pace si sinceritate; rosul- curajul si forta




Coat of Arms/Stema: the meaning of the five sided star is protection of the country and today it represents the army of the Italian Republic. The cogwheel symbolizes the Italian constitution and the olive branch symbolizes the desire for peace of the Italian Republic. It also shows unity as well as kindness across Italian border./ semnificatia stelei cu cinci colturi este aceea de protectie a tarii iar astazi reprezinta armata Republicii Italiene. Roata zimtata simbolizeaza constitutia italiana iar ramura de maslin simbolizeaza dorinta de pace a Republicii Italiene. Arata deasemenea unitatea precum si bunatatea de-a-lungul granitei italiene.

Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia. The independent states of San Marino and the Vatican City are enclaves within the Italian Peninsula.The land known as Italy today has been the cradle of many European cultures and peoples, such as the Etruscans and the Romans, and later was the birthplace of the University, the Renaissance that began in Tuscany and spread all over Europe, Vitruvian Man, modern science and astronomy, heliocentrism and opera.. Italy's capital, Rome, was for centuries the center of Western civilization. Italy possessed a colonial empire from the second half of the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century.Today, Italy is a democratic republic and a developed country with the eighth-highest quality of life index rating in the world. It is a founding member of what is now the European Union, having signed the Treaty of Rome in 1957, and it is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Italy is a Schengen state. It has the world's seventh-largest defence budget and shares NATO's nucleat weapons. On 1 January 2007, Italy began a two-year term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Italy is subdivided into 20 regions (regioni, singular regione). Five of these regions have a special autonomus status that enables them to enact legislation on some of their local matters; these are marked by an asterisk (*) in the table below. The country is further divided into 109 provinces (province) and 8,100 municipalities (comuni).

Italia, oficial Republica Italiana, este o tara localizata in peninsula italiana in partea de sud a Europei si pe cele mai mari doua insule din Marea Mediterana, Sicilia si Sardinia. Italia imparte granita alpina din nord cu Franta, Elvetia, Austria si Slovenia. Statele independente San Marino si Vatican sunt incluse in Peninsula Italiana. Teritoriul cunoscut ca Italia in zilele noastre a fost leaganul multor culturi si popoare europene precum etruscii si romanii, si mai tarziu a fost locul nasterii universitatii, Renasterea a inceput in Toscana si s-a intins preste tot in Europa, Omul Vetruvian, stiinta moderna si astronomia, heliocentrismul si opera. Capitala Italiei, Roma, a fost timp de secole, centrul civilizatiei din vest. Italia era posesoarea unui imperiu colonial din a doua jumatate a secolului XIX pana la jumatatea secolului XX. Astazi, Italia este o republica democrata si o tara dezvoltata ocupand locul opt la nivelul de trai al oamenilor. Este un membru fondator a ceea ce este acum Uniunea Europeana, semnand Tratatul de la Roma in 1957 si este si unul din membrii fondatori ai NATO. Italia este o tara din spatiul Schengen. Ocupa locul sapte in ceea ce priveste bugetul apararii si imparte armele nucleare NATO. La 1 ianuarie 2007, Italia a inceput un termen de doi ani ca membru non-permanent in Consiliul de Securitate al Natiunilor Unite.

Italia este impartita in 20 de regiuni (regioni), Cinci dintre aceste regiuni au statut special autonom care le permite sa stabileasca legislatia asupra unora din problemele locale. Tara este mai apoi divizata in 109 provincii si 8.100 de municipalitati. (comuni)

Tivoli, the classical Tibur, is an ancient Italian town in Lazio, about 30 km from Rome, at the falls of the Aniene river, where it issues from the Sabine hills. There are spectacular views out over the Roman Campagna / Tivoli, clasicul Tibur, este un oras vechi din Lazio, la aproape 30 de km de Roma, in panta raului Aniene, care izvoraste din dealurile Sabine. Se pot vedea peisaje spectaculare ale campiei romane.

Comune di Tivoli - The Coat of Arms/Stema




Main sights in Tivoli/Locuri importante din Tivoli:

• Villa Adriana - UNESCO World Heritage site (1999)

• Villa d'Este - UNESCO World Heritage site (2001).

• Villa Gregoriana
  

• Rocca Pia

• Temple of Tiburtine Sibyl
  

• Temple of Hercules
  

• Cathedral of St. Lawrence (Duomo, rebuilt in 1635–40)

Culture/ Cultura

Art/ Arta

Italian painting is traditionally characterized by a warmth of colour and light, as exemplified in the works of Carvaggio and Titian, and a preoccupation with religious figures and motifs. Italian painting enjoyed preeminence in Europe for hundreds of years, from the Romanesque and Gothic periods, and through the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the latter two of which saw fruition in Italy. Notable artists who fall within these periods include Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Boticelli, Fra Angelico, Tintoretto, Carvaggio, Bernini, Titian and Raphael. Thereafter, Italy was to experience a continual subjection to foreign powers which caused a shift of focus to political matters, leading to its decline as the artistic authority in Europe. Not until 20th century Futurism primarily through the works of Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla, would Italy recapture any of its former prestige as a seminal place of artistic evolution. Futurism was succeeded by the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, who exerted a strong influence on the Surrealists and generations of artists to follow.

Pictura italiana este traditional caracterizata prin caldura culorii si a luminii asa cum apare in lucrarile lui Caravaggio si Titian, o preocupare cu figurile si motivele religioase. Pictura italiana s-a bucurat de mare succes in Europa timp de sute de ani, de la perioadele romane si gotice si prin perioadele Renasterii si Barocului, ultimele doua inflorind in Italia. Artisti cunoscuti care intra in aceste perioade sunt Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Botticelli, Fra Angelico, Tintoretto, Caravaggio, Bernini, Titian si Raphael. Ulterior, Italia a experimentat o supunere continua unor puteri straine care au dus la schimbarea atentiei catre problemele politice, ducand astfel la declinul autoritatii artistice in Europa. Deabia in Futurismul secolului al XX-lea, in principal prin lucrarile lui Umberto Boccioni si Giacomo Balla, Italia isi recuupereaza fostul prestigiu ca un loc seminal al evolutiei artistice. Futurismul a fost urmat de picturile metafizice ale lui Girogio de Chrico, care a avut o influenta puternica asupra Suprarealistilor si generatiilor de artisti care vor urma.

Le Pieta - Michelangelo

Lady with an ermine - Da Vinci

St Iohn - Donatello


Umberto Boccioni - Canal di Venice


Giacomo Balla - Victorie

Literature/ Literatura

The basis of the modern Italian language was established by the Florentine poet Dante Alighieri, whose greatest work, the Divine Comedy, is considered amongst the foremost literary statements produced in Europe during the Middle Ages. There is no shortage of celebrated literary figures in Italy: Giovanni Boccaccio, Giacomo Leopardi, Alessandro Manzoni, Torquato Tasso, Ludovico Ariosto and Petrarch, whose best-known vehicle of expression, the sonnet, was invented in Italy. Prominent philosophers include Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, Niccolo Machiavelli and Giambatista Vico. Modern literary figures and Nobel laureates are nationalist poet Giosue Carducci in 1906, realist writer Grazia Deledda in 1926, modern theatre author Luigi Pirandello in 1936, poets Salvatore Quasimodo in 1959 and Eugenio Montale in 1975, satirist and theatre author Dario Fo in 1997. Regarding the Italian theatre, it can be traced back to the Roman tradition which was heavily influenced by the Greek; as with many other literary genres, Roman dramatists tended to adapt and translate from the Greek. For example, Seneca's Phaedra was based on that of Euripides, and many of the comedies of Plautus were direct translations of works by Menander. During the 16th century and on into the 18th century, Commedia dell'arte was a form of improvisational theatre, and it is still performed today. Travelling troupes of players would set up an outdoor stage and provide amusement in the form of juggling acrobatics, and, more typically, humorous plays based on a repertoire of established characters with a rough storyline, called canovaccio.

Bazele limbii Italiene moderne au fost stabilite de catre poetul florentin Dante Aligheri, a carui cea mai mare lucrare, Comedia Divina, este considerate printre primele declaratii literare produse in Europa in timpul Evului Mediu. Sunt foarte multe figuri celebre in literatura italiana: Giovanni Boccaccio, Giacomo Leopardi, Alessandro Manzoni, Torquato Tasso, Ludovico Ariosto si Petrarca, a carui cea mai bun modalitate de exprimare, si anume sonetul, a fost inventat in Italia. Printre folosofii importanti se numara Giordano Bruno, Marsilio Ficino, Niccolo Machiavelli si Giambattista Vico. Figuri literare moderne si laureati Nobel se numara poetul nationalist Giosue Carducci in 1906, scriitorul realist Grazia Deledda in 1926, dramaturgul modern Luigi Piandello in 1936, poetii Salvatore Quasimodo in 1959 si Eugenio Montale in 1975, autotul de satire si dramaturg Dario Fo in 1997. In ceea ce priveste teatrull italian, acesta poate fi regasit in traditia romana care a fost mult influentata de catre Greci, la fel ca si alte genuri literare, dramaturgii romani aveau tendinta de a adapta si a traduce de la greci. De exemplu, Fedra a lui Seneca a fost bazata pe cea a lui Euripide, si multe din comediile lui Plautus a fost traduceri directe din operele lui Menander. In secolul XVI si pana in secolul XVIII, Commedia dell’arte a fost o forma de teatru imporvizat care este jucat si in zilele noastre. Trupe de artisti calatori pun o scena in aer liber si ofera distractie sub forma jongleriilor, acrobatii si, mai tipic, comedii bazate pe un repertoriu cu personaje stabilite cu o linie dramatica dura, numita canovaccio.

The world does not belong to the modest, but to the energetic/ Lumea nu apartine celor modesti, ci celor energici- Dante Alighieri

Ave, o rima! Con bell’arte

Su le carte

Te persegue el trovadore

Ma tu brilli, tu scintilli

Tu zampilli

Su del propolo dal cuore

O scoccata tra due braci

Ne i rapaci

Volgimenti de la danza

Come accordi ne’ due giri

Due sospiri

Di memoria i di speranza! Giosue Carucci - Commedia dell'arte

Music/ Muzica

From folk music to classical, music has always played an important role in Italian culture. Having given birth to opera, Italy provides many of the foundations of the classical music tradition. Instruments associated with classical music, including the piano and violin, were invented in Italy, and many of the prevailing classical music forms, such as the symphony concerto, and sonata, can trace their roots back to innovations of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Italian music. Italy's most famous composers include the Renaissance composers Palestrina and Monteverdi, the Barowue composers Alessandro Scarlatti, Corelli and Vivaldi, the Classical composers Paganini and Rossini, and the Romantic composers Verdi and Puccini. Modern Italian composers such as Berio and Nono proved significant in the development of experimental and electronic music. While the classical music tradition still holds strong in Italy, as evidenced by the fame of its innumerable opera houses, such as La Scala of Milan and San Carlo of Naples, and performers such as the pianist Maurizio Pollini and the late tenor Luciano Pavarotti, Italians have been no less appreciative of their thriving contemporary music scene. Introduced in the early 1920s, jazz took a particularly strong foothold in Italy, and remained popular despite the anti-American cultural policies of the Fascist regime. Today, the most notable centers of jazz music in Italy include Milan, Rome, and Sicily. Later, Italy was at the forefront of the progressive rock movement of the 1970s, with bands like PFM and Goblin. Today, Italian pop music is represented annually with the Sanremo Music Festival, which served as inspiration for the Eurovision song contest, and the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto. Singers such as pop diva Mina, classical crossover artist Andrea Bocelli, Grammy winner Laura Pausini, and European chart-topper Eros Ramazzotti have attained international acclaim.

De la folk la clasic, muzica a jucat mereu un rol important in cultura italiana. Dand nastere operei, Italia ofera multe fundatii ale traditiei muzicii clasice. Instrumente asociate ci muzica clasica, inclusiv pianul si vioara, au fost inventate in Italia, la fel ca si celelalte forme de muzica clasica precum simfonia, concertul si sonata, care isi regasesc radacinile in inovatiile secolului XVI- XVII din muzica italiana. Cei mai faimosi compozitori italieni ii includ pe compozitorii renascentisti Palestrina si Monteverdi, compozitorii din Baroc Alessandro Scarlatti, Corelli si Vivaldi, compozitorii clasici Paganini si Rossini, si compozitorii romantici Verdi si Puccini. Compozitorii italieni moderni precum Berio si Nono s-au dovedit importanti in dezvoltarea muzicii experimentale si electronice. In timp ce traditia muzicii clasice inca rezista in Italia, lucru dovedit de nenumaratele opere precum La Scala din Milano si San Carlo din Napoli, si interpreti precum pianistult Maurizio Pollini si regretatul tenor Luciano Pavarotti, italienii totusi au apreciat si scena muzicala contemporana. Aparut la inceputul anilor 1920, jazzul a ocupat un loc puternic in peisajul Italiei si a ramas popular in ciuda polictii anti cultura americana din regimul fascist. Astazi, cel mai importante centre de jazz din Italia includ Milano, Roma si Sicilia. Mai tarziu, Italia a fost in fruntea miscarii de rock progresiv din anii 1970 cu formatii precum PFM si Goblin.Astazi, muzica italiana pop este reprezentata anual de Festivalul de Muzica de la Sanremo, care a fost sursa de inspiratie pentru concursul Eurovision si Festivalul celor doua lumi din Spoleto. Cantareti precum diva pop Mina, artistul clasic Andrea Bocelli, castigatoarea premiului Grammy Laura Pausini si cantaretul din topurile europene, Eros Ramazzotti, au obtinut aprecierea internationala.

Andrea Boceli at Sanremo



La Scala - Milan

Cinema/ Cinema

The history of Italian cinema began a few months after the Lumiere brothers began motion picture exhibitions. The first Italian film was a few seconds long, showing Pope Leo XIII giving a blessing to the camera. The Italian film industry was born between 1903 and 1908 with three companies: the Roman Cines, the Ambrosio of Turin and the Itala Film. Other companies soon followed in Milan and in Naples. In a short time these first companies reached a fair producing quality, and films were soon sold outside Italy. The cinema was later used by Benito Mussolini as a form of propaganda until the World War II. After the war, Italian film was widely recognised and exported until an artistic decline around the 1980s. World-famous Italian film directors from this period include Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Michelangelo Antonioni and Dario Argento. Movies include world cinema treasures such as La dolce vita, Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo and Ladri di biciclette. In recent years, the Italian scene has received only occasional international attention, with movies like La vita e bella directed by Roberto Benigni and Il postino with Massimo Troisi.

Istoria cinematografului italian a inceput la cateva luni dupa ce fratii Lumiere au inceput expozitiile cu imagini miscatoare. Primul film italian a fost de cateva secunde aratandu-l pe Papa Leo XIII dandu-si binecuvantarea in fata camerei. Industria de film italian a aparut intre 1903 si 1908 cu trei companii: Cineastii Romani. Ambrosia din Turin si Italia Film. Alte companii au aparut in curand dupa acestea in Milano si Napole. Intr-o perioada scurta acestea companii au atins o productie relativ calitativa si in curand se vindeau filme si in afara Italiei. Cinema-ul a fost folosit mai tarziu de Benito Mussolini ca o forma de propaganda pana in al doilea Razboi Mondial. Dupa razboi, filmul italian a fost larg recunoscut si exportat pana in jurul unui declin artistic din jurul anilor 1980. Regizori italieni faimoisi in toata lumea din aceasta perioada ii includ pe Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, Sergio Leone, Pier Paolo Pasolini, Michelangelo Antonioni si Dario Argento. Filmele includ comori cinematice recunoscute mondial precum La Dolce Vita, Il buono, il brutto, il cativo si Ladri di biciclette. In anii recenti, scena italiana a primit numai ocazional atentie internationala cu filme precum La vita e bella, regizat de Umberto Benigni si Il Postino cu Massimo Troisi.

Sport/ Sport

Popular sports include football, basketball, volleyball, waterpolo, fencing, rugby, cycling, ice hockey (mainly in Milan, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto), roller hockey and F1 motor racing. Winter sports are most popular in the northern regions, with Italians competing in international games and Olympic venues. Turin hosted the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Sports are incorporated into Italian festivities like Palio (see also Palio di Siena), and the gondola race (regatta) that takes place in Venice on the first Sunday of September. Sports venues have extended from the gladiatorial games of Ancient Rome in the Colosseum to the Stadio Olimpico of contemporary Rome, where football clubs compete.The most popular sport in Italy is football, the Serie A being one of the most famous competitions in the world. Italy's national football team is the second-most-successful team in the world, with four World Cup victories, the first one of which was in 1934. Italy is also and the current (2006) FIFA world champion. Cricket is also slowly gaining popularity; the Italian national cricket team is administered by the Federazione Cricket Italiana‎ (Italian Cricket Federation). They are currently ranked 27th in the world by the International Cricket Council and are ranked fifth amongst European non-Test teams.

Sporturi populare includ fotbalul, basketul, voleiul, polo, scrima, ciclism, hockey (mai ales in Milano, Trentino-Alto Adige si Veneto), hockey pe role si cursele de formula 1.Sporturile de iarna sunt mai populare in regiunile nordice, cu Italienii care concureaza in jocuri internationale si competitii olimpice. Torino a fost gazda Jocurilor Olimpice din 2006. Sporturile sunt incluse in festivitatile italiene precum Palio si cursele cu gondole din prima duminica din septembrie. Competitiile sportive s-au extins de la jocurile cu gladiatori din Roma antica in Colosseum pana la Stadionul Olimpic din Roma contemporana, unde au loc competitii intre cluburile de fotbal. Cel mai popular sport din Italia este fotbalul, seria A fiind cea mai faimoasa competitie in lume. Echipa nationala de fotbal a Italiei este cea de-a doua mai de succes echipa din lume, cu patru victorii la Cupa Mondiala, prima castigata in 1934.In prezent, Italia este si campioana mondiala FIFA (2006). Cricketul este deasemenea in ascensiune. Castigand usor in popularitate. Echipa nationala de cricket este administrata de Federazione Cricket Italiana‎ (Federatia Italiana de Cricket ). In prezent ei ocupa locul 27 in Consiliul International de cricket si ocupa locul cinci Echipele non-test din Europa.

The Olympic Stadium in Rome


The Olympic Games, Torino, 2006

Cuisine/ Gastronomie

The modern Italian cuisine has evolved through centuries of social and political changes, with its roots reaching back to the 4th century BC. Significant change occurred with the discovery of the New World, when vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers and maize became available. However, these central ingredients of modern Italian cuisine were not introduced in scale before the 18th century. Ingredients and dishes vary by region. However, many dishes that were once regional have proliferated in different variations across the country. Cheese and wine are major parts of the cuisine, playing different roles both regionally and nationally with their many variations and Denominazione di origine controllata (regulated appellation) laws. Coffee, and more specifically espresso, has become highly important to the cultural cuisine of Italy.

Bucataria italiana moderna a evoluat pe parcursul secolelor cu schimbari sociale si politice, cu radacini care duc pana in secolul 4 iH. Schimbari semnificative au avut loc odata cu descoperirea Noii Lumi, cand legume precum cartofii, rosiile, ardeii si porumbul au devenit disponibile. Totusi, aceste ingrediente centrale din bucataria italiana moderna nu au fost introduse in regim inainate de secolul XVIII. Ingredientele si felurile de mancare difera de la o regiune la alta. Totusi, multe felurie de mancare care au fost odata regionale s-au dezvoltat in diferite variatiuni de-alungul tarii. Branza si vinul sunt compponente importante in bucatarie, jucand diverse rolui atat regional cat so national cu variatiunile lor facute legale prin Denominazione di origine controllata (denominari regularizate). Cafeaua, mai ales espresso, a devenit foarte importanta pentru bucataria culturala a Italiei.