The Italian Radio Hour

This week on The Italian Radio Hour: Behind the scenes of "C'e' ancora domani" - In conversation with Yonv Joseph.
I'm so excited for today’s conversation with our multitalented guest Yonv Joseph. You may recognize him as the American soldier in "C’è ancora domani", alongside Paola Cortellesi.
In postwar Rome, Delia, a working-class woman dreams of a better future for herself and her daughter ...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Alessia Discovers a Spider Web. When Storytime Dances the Italian Tarantella with Anna Harsh and Alessandra Aozora.
Join me in welcoming two incredibly talented women whose collaboration brings together dance, storytelling, and visual art in a beautiful way.
Anna Harsh is the founder of Allegro Dance Company, known for promoting and preserving Italian folk traditions through dance. She ha...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Recently, I had the pleasure to spend time in Bari and have a one-on-one mini orecchiette class with the one and only Nunzia, known to the world as the Queen of Orecchiette.A true icon of Bari Vecchia, Nunzia, with her expert hands and welcoming smile, has become a living symbol of Apulian culinary traditions. Her working station outside her home under Arco Basso in the old part of the town has...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - In the 1950s, a New York radio station created ‘La grande famiglia’, a program for Italian Americans sponsored by a Progresso tomato company. The mechanism was simple, but ingenious: in exchange for ten labels as proof of purchase, a correspondent would go and record the voices of relatives in Italy. In a world without a telephone, the thirteen seasons of the show represented, for many people, ...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - "Only in America could the son of an uneducated carpenter receive the Nobel Prize in Medicine". This is how Dr. Louis Ignarro, Nobel Prize Laureate for his research on Nitric Oxide premises his interview when asked if anyone is his family was a scientist, doctor, a pharmacist or else.On Oct 12, 1998 at noon, while boarding a plane from NY to go to Naples to present at a conference, he...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Today, I have the joy of welcoming someone whose presence is as vibrant as her memories—Mary Ferro. A beloved music teacher, performer, and storyteller at heart, Mary is also the author of the newly published memoir From Calabria to Carnegie, Music for Bread.

With deep roots in Pittsburgh’s Italian-American community, Mary’s life has been shaped by song, tradition, and the incredible women who ...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Shy of a few days from opening its fifth location, today, I am joined by a Pittsburgh icon—Sam Patti, founder and owner of La Prima Espresso. For over three decades, La Prima has been more than just a coffee shop—it’s been a cultural hub, a gathering place, and a symbol of Italian heritage in the heart of the Strip District. But Sam’s story goes beyond espresso. He is also an independent schola...

Today, I had the privilege of speaking with Stefano Consiglio, the President of Fondazione CON IL SUD, an organization dedicated to fostering social innovation and sustainable development in Southern Italy. Since its establishment in 2006, the foundation has played a crucial role in empowering local communities, supporting social enterprises, and revitalizing underutilized resources, including properties confiscated from organized ...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour: Fasten your seatbelts!1000 Miglia Experience Florida and The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) teamed up to bring the iconic car race to the US.Few events capture the essence of Italian excellence, elegance, and innovation quite like the 1000 Miglia. A symbol of style, precision, and sheer automotive passion, this legendary race has transcended borders to make its thrilling debut in th...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - The 21st edition of the Italian Film Festival Usa is opening soon in selected cities throughout the United States to bring contemporary Italian movies to the public free, in the original language with English subtitles.Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Lina Insana, Associate Professor of Italian at the University of Pittsburgh and Chair of the Italian Film Festival USA - Pittsburgh co...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Meet Adriana Gandolfi, an esteemed Italian anthropologist whose research has illuminated the cultural heritage of Abruzzo. Through her numerous publications, she has explored the region’s traditions, customs, and material culture, particularly its craftsmanship. Her book "Ori e Argenti d'Abruzzo" delves into the rich artistic history of gold and silverwork, revealing its deep connections to ide...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour: Honor your Mother and your Grandmother!
As we are celebrating International Women's Day on March 8th, we are bringing two Pittsburgh personalities whose work strongly impacts our local communities: Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award nominated journalist Natalie Bencivenga, editor, columnist, and radio host, and Rosa Verdiglione Davis, Executive Director of POWER (Pennsylvania Organization for Women ...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - How much of the creation of America comes from the Romans? The connections are simply fascinating.And thanks to the the New Jersey Italian Heritage Committee, students can now experience a stimulating curriculum that is both universal and also preserves the worldwide cultural legacy of Italy. By integrating exciting and rich resources, schools now have a solid and well developed curriculum K-12...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Who doesn't love a fresh, crunchy, not overly sweet sfogliatella? Are you also a big fan of the city of "Napoli"?Well, if you answered "yes" to either or both questions you are going to LOVE THIS EPISODE!Naples isn’t just a place; it’s an experience. It’s the sound of scooters weaving through narrow streets, the sight of laundry hanging between colorful buildings, the laughter of friends gather...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour: Say "I do" in Italy with style!
Valentine's Day is tomorrow and many will be "popping" the question.
This week, I had the pleasure to speak with the dynamic duo Nicole Bono, and Tano Mina, founders of Bono Events International.
GAETANO (aka) Tano is a seasoned cheese and wine sommelier, Nicole, whose unique upbringing, split between New York City and Florence, bring their shared passion for culture...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - What would happen if a landslide suddenly destroyed part of an ancient city and its immense patrimony? Join me in this fascinating conversation is Mark Dietrick Director of Services of Case Technologies. Since 2016, Case Technologies along with Volterra-Detroit Foundation and Autodesk have been working in Volterra, (Tuscany) with experts in 3D reality capture technology, aerial and ground-base...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour: For all the bread makers out there (professional and aspiring), this episode is for you (but also everyone else)!Do you know that in Italy there is a National Association of Bread Testers (INAP - Istituto Nazionale Assaggiatori Pani)?I had the true pleasure to speak at length with its President, Walter Cricri', who recently returned from a very important food expo in Milan called Golosaria, ...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - Holidays decorations have long been packed up. Daily routines have returned to be frantic but how do we build up and keep the spirit of kindness, gratitude, love, and acceptance all year around? Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Alessandro Grazioli, a passionate storyteller and cultural advocate hailing from Bergamo, Italy. Alessandro is the author of Il Gomitolo della Befana, a bea...

This week on The Italian Radio Hour - For this first episode of 2025, we want to share a very special story. Meet Gessica Mancini, mother of three from a small town in Tuscany, called Cerreto Guidi. Ten years ago, Gessica was diagnosed with Parkinson. The medications that she was put on, would leave her sleepless at night, wondering what her life and the ones of their children would be with the progressions of her disease. Instead...