June to be the month of Italian culture & food in Slovakia

A festival in June named 'Dolce Vitaj' (a wordplay on the Italian 'dolce vita' - meaning a sweet life and the Slovak 'vitaj' meaning welcome) will feature Italian music, theatre, film, literature, visual arts and culinary delicacies. "We'll soak up an Italian atmosphere for a month in Bratislava. There will also be events in other Slovak towns and cities", announced Italian Ambassador to Slovakia Roberto Martini at a press conference. The event is being held under the auspices of Culture Minister Marek Maďarič and Bratislava deputy mayor Iveta Plšeková. "The concert ending the festival with one of the best contemporary Italian composers and pianists - Fabrizio Paterlini - will be exclusive", said Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in Bratislava Antonia Grande. The festival will start on June 6 with a concert at the Academy of Performing Arts (VSMU), where flautist Luisa Sello will perform with the Sinfonietta ensemble. As part of Bratislava Design Week, there will be a display entitled 'Svicolando' as homage to Italian industrial designer Vico Magistretti (1920-2006), displaying his iconic objects and a collection of sketches and drawings. Additionally, the Lumiere cinema will show the eight most successful Italian movies of the past three years. Aside from a literary event dedicated to Dante, there will also be a meeting with writer Emanuele Trevi, who will present his book 'Qualcosa di scritto' (Something Written), which has been translated into Slovak by František Hruška. There will be also be a wide selection of Italian wines as part of the 'Vino Vitaj' event in selected restaurants and cafes in the city centre, as well as an Italian market in Bratislava's historic centre. The organisers are also preparing programmes in Žilina, Košice and Nitra.