IN SARDINIA: An Unexpected Journey in Italy
May 2 6:30pm PT
@INNOVIT, 710 Sansome St, San Francisco
In Sardinia – An Unexpected Journey in Italy
A presentation by Jeff Biggers and Valeria Orani
Thursday, May 2 | 6:30 PM
Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco @INNOVIT, 710 Sansome St
Beyond its fabled beaches, reconsidering how its unique history and ways have shaped Italy and Europe today, Jeff Biggers, in conversation with Valeria Orani, explores how travelers must first understand Sardinia and its ancient and modern history to truly understand the rest of Italy. Jeff Biggers also presents his latest book, In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy.
“At last, a grand companion to the mysterious and enchanting island of Sardinia. Known to most travelers for its beaches, Sardinia’s complex archeological heritage extends back to Neolithic times. Jeff Biggers, the consummate traveler/ scholar, starts in beautiful Alghero and begins exploring the entire island, delving into the rich traditions of music, arts, dialects, crafts, and literature. Along the way, he and his family revel in local lore, festivals, food, and wine. Written with verve and love, In Sardinia is the book I’ll be taking on future trips.” –-Frances Mayes, New York Times bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun
“In Sardinia passionately recounts Biggers’ discovery of a place long considered out of time and history. With an agile writing style but one that reveals the extensive research behind the text, In Sardinia takes the reader on a discovery of an island-as-a-continent, its rich historical heritage as well as its increasingly vibrant contemporary cultural life.” — Maria Bonaria Urban, author of Sardinia on Screen
ABOUT
JEFF BIGGERS
Jeff Biggers is an award-winning historian, journalist and playwright. Author of ten books, his work has appeared on National Public Radio and Public Radio International, and in the New York Times, Washington Post, Guardian, Atlantic Monthly, Huffington Post, Salon, The Nation, Al Jazeera, Brick Magazine (Toronto) and Il Giornale (Italy). As a playwright and performer of monologues, he appears at theatres, festivals, conferences and schools. Based in Iowa and Italy, Biggers has worked as a writer, performer and educator across the United States, Europe, India, and Mexico.
His latest book, In Sardinia: An Unexpected Journey in Italy, released on May 23, 2023, was praised by the Times Literary Supplement as “much more than a travelogue, compendious and evocative,” and “an enthusiastic and erudite guide” by the Wall Street Journal. In an Italian review for Sardegnablogger journal, reviewer Fiorenzo Caterini called it “a masterpiece.”
VALERIA ORANI
For over thirty years, Valeria Orani has produced live theatre in both non-profit and commercial settings, a vocation which led in 2003 to the creation of 369gradi, the first Italian organization devoted to supporting, promoting, and managing young companies producing innovative theatre. Over time 369gradi has expanded its activities to embrace performance art and contemporary culture more broadly.
Orani applies her organizational methodology, developed from deep experience with the dynamics of live performance, its audiences, and an international perspective, to the formation and mentorship of independent theatre ensembles, assisting them in developing projects, building audiences, and establishing connections with producing and granting organizations.
Having worked for a decade, specifically on production support, in 2013, 369gradi shifted its focus to concentrate on innovative theatre in Italy and began to specialize in creating an American market for new Italian theatre.
Organized by: Italian Cultural Institute San Francisco
Free Admission | Registration required