The ICBIE Benefit in Rome

Last night all the Roman friends of the ICBIE (and there are many!) turned out at the Linux Club for the fifth annual benefit evening. This tradition, begun by Marlene de Souza in 2003, while Pietro was in Salvador, preparing to purchase the property in Ribeira, has continued every June, always in a different venue, but with a growing number of faithful supporters. ICBIE president Pietro Gallina opened the evening with a brief presentation, saluting the throngs of his ex-students, then Roy Zimmerman proudly detailed the work of the Bridge to Bahia project at the American Overseas School, hoping to inspire other similar initiatives. The illustrious musicologist Mario Bortolotto then reminisced about the pleasures of Ribeira, the delights of the beaches and the beautiful girls. Pina Madonna (the administrator of ICBIE’s Italian office) spoke about her efforts to establish a fully-functioning organization in Italy, in order for the ICBIE to qualify for benefits from the Italian tax system (the famous cinque per mille that can be transfered to charitable organizations). To close the discussion, Pietro’s ex-student Anna Foglietta (now an affirmed actress) incited all the alumni of the Socrate high school to galvanize their efforts to sustain the ICBIE in the future.

Of course, seeing all the staunch friends together was the greatest part of the evening. “Il Commandante” Sandro Righi and his wife, the vice principals of both the Socrate Liceo and of the Moscati school, Monica Bernardi (who has brought the ICBIE to the attention of actors and actresses at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia), filmmaker Paolo Grassini (whose documentary, I Tamburi dell’Amazzonia, was premiered at the ICBIE’s inauguration), film directors Ulrik Bruel Gerber and Giuseppe Voltarelli, professor Carpiceci, actress Valentina Chico, George Eottos (an acclaimed cameraman who was at the ICBIE just last week), professor Guido Zaccagnini and RAI journalist Sabina Sacchi (with their daughter Carlotta), music teacher Paige Short and Grant Thompson (a New Zealander who works in high tech satellite imaging), professor Tony Brophy, writer Michael Sullivan, photographer Valerio Bispuri, AOSR teachers Daniele Dattilo (who is off for Salvador on Monday) Gabriella Gangi, Victoria Pasquantonio and Alessandra Cozzi, artist Kim Gallimore (with her mom), Rosa de Bellis’s sister Ginevra and her boyfriend, were all present.

The musical performances began with the mellow jazz of Claudio Zenobbio on trumpet, accompanied by Gaia Possenti. Accompanied by the Sina Quartet, Patrizia del Vasco followed, singing a wonderful set of pieces by Vinicius de Moraes, taken from her new record “Valsa de Euridice”. Members of the Sina Quartet also accompanied the Brazilian singer Jony Porto, who was brought by Caetano Veloso’s manager, performing classic tunes from the Bahian tradition.

Filippo Gatti took the stage with his guitar, presenting his intimate moods.

As the evening progressed, more and more people kept streaming in, enticed by the great dance music presented by DJ Adriano Bonforti, with assistance from Paolo Mauriello. The happy drinking and dancing continued until 3 AM, and by the end of the evening, more than five hundred people had attended, making this the biggest ICBIE benefit ever!