Gemelli 86

Gemelli

Newsletter of Friends of Ravenna

Issue 86 May 2022

A Farewell Report

Reflections on 4 years

This will be my final report for Gemelli. certain Howard Bottomley to do one of the
customary members’ talks, “Rugby, Rome and
At the AGM in June I will be stepping down as Mussolini”. Baptism of fire I felt! That evening
Chairman after 4 years which have not been wasn’t all plain sailing but things soon settled
without challenges recently! However, after initial down. For me one of the best talks of the 2018-2019
nervousness in the new role, I can honestly say Programme was David Edwards’s on Pompeii.
that I have enjoyed my time enormously.
In October 2018 I went to Ravenna again which
The reasons for that enjoyment? Getting to know brought several challenges such as being made to
far more of our members, having the help, cycle all round the city – I was the only one so was
friendship and support of an excellent committee, this a tradition for Chairmen?! Also, giving a
organising and meeting our speakers, improving speech in Italian in the beautiful Town Hall in front
my Italian and going to Ravenna of course. Add to of not just members but local dignitaries. Giving
that the pleasure of getting to know the Italian another thank you speech, complete with jokes, in
members of Friends of Chichester and having a Italian, after a wonderful Pizza evening - a great
guest to stay during their visits here. visit though.

I feel it has been a privilege to have played a part The Italians came to us in 2019. Stand out event? It
in the running of Friends of Ravenna which was has to be the memorable meal at the Marina’s
established in 1996. I became a member in 2016 Boathouse restaurant – and not in a good way! Our
and was lucky enough to go to Ravenna that year guests were very forgiving! And we made them
– 4 days of wonderful hospitality, interesting prepare their own cream tea that year.
visits, great food and a great deal more Italian. I
confess to having known very little about the city Then in March 2020 Covid struck and all live talks
before this visit. On returning, having made the were cancelled. This is where things became a little
mistake of being horribly enthusiastic about my more challenging but we successfully held the June
experience, I was co-opted onto the committee in AGM via Zoom, and again in 2021. Our booked
2017 to help plan the Italians’ return visit in the
autumn. I became Vice-Chairman for 1 year, with
Anne Scicluna as Chairman, and then took over
that role in 2018.

In September 2018 I not only had to get up on
stage and do the usual welcome and
introductions, I had also been persuaded by a

FRIENDS OF RAVENNA Gemelli 86 - May 2022

PRESIDENT From the members

The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Chichester A Pair of Wings

Councillor Julian Joy I was born in New Zealand but just before the
end of World War 2, my mother had decided to
VICE-PRESIDENT return to England. Even before we left when I
was 7, I had shown a keen interest in dance.
The Very Reverend Nicholas Frayling After travelling in a troop ship via the Panama
Canal and New York, we arrived in Tilbury a
CHAIRMAN Liz Turner 371309 month before the war ended and we moved to
Mildenhall from where I went to school in Bury
VICE-CHAIRMAN Alastair Alexander 532171 St Edmunds at which I continued to show my
aptitude for ballet. At about the age of ten I saw
HON TREASURER Richard Roberts 538004 Margot Fonteyn dance in Coppelia and when
my mother saw me imitating the routines in the
HON SECRETARY Jane Bartholomew 776231 next few days, she contacted Sadlers Wells to
apply for their ballet school. However, at the age
Mike Bonser 01903 784911 of 11, it was decided it would be better for me to
go to Elmhurst Ballet School in Camberley
Howard Bottomley 776810 where at 16 I abandoned the academic activities
and concentrated on dance. When I left two
Jennifer Bottomley 776810 years later, I was immediately offered a role in a
pantomime at Coventry and then a Summer
John-Henry Bowden 07504 846083 Season in Blackpool under the guidance of Dave
King and Shani Wallis who then took me on for
Bryn Davies 789751 a season at the Hippodrome in London.
It was at the Hippodrome that I was auditioned
Mike Evans 698113 by Charlie Henchis the most renowned theatre
producer at that time, for a tour of a musical in
Lynda Murray 788207 Italy, but first I had to have my mousey hair
dyed blonde for which I was taken to Raymond
Carla Gaita 787474 Bessone, well known as Mr. Teasy Weasy.
So, in August 1957, the 11 other English girls and
Sarah Quail 776757 I travelled by train to Milan, where all musicals
had their opening nights, to be in Un Paio D’Ali
Anne Scicluna 789065 (A Pair of Wings), written and led by Renato
Rascel. I was just turning 19.
Jacky Storey 07743 484059 I could not have been
under better guidance for
speakers readily agreed to use Zoom and so we the choreographer was
were able to continue more or less in the usual Hermes Pan who had
way. I shall be forever grateful to Jennifer choreographed for Fred
Bottomley and Mike Bonser for making this Astaire and Ginger
possible. Obviously visits abroad were out of the Rogers. With just a month
question so a series of Zoom meetings were held of rehearsals, we opened
with our Italian friends during which we learnt a in September and over the
lot about each other’s history and local customs. next 8 months toured to
They served to keep the friendship going. In Turin, Bologna, Genoa,
September 2021 we resumed meeting face to face Florence, Catania and
and our joyful Christmas concert in December Messina, any theatre large
2021 given by the Chichester University students enough to stage a musical with a full company.
was a wonderful way to end that year and that Work was hard. The performances started at
difficult time. 9.30pm and finished at 1 am when we went to

By the time you read this we will have held the
last of our talks and will hopefully have enjoyed
a social evening at Lavant Hall and then in June I
will hand over to a new Chairman. I very much
hope they will get as much pleasure from the role
as I have done and I wish them, the committee
and Friends of Ravenna all the very best.

Liz Turner

eat in restaurants which specially stayed open Gemelli 86 - May 2022
for us, often being guided to the best by the
local theatre hands. If we weren’t going to a A Day in The Dolomites
night club, bed was at 2 am, but we rose at
noon; final preparations before each I had always wanted to have a summer holiday
performance were at 8.30 pm. among mountains and my wishes finally came
true in 2013. I had been encouraged by a friend
I am third from the right in the chorus to stay at Levico Terme a spa town in the
The rest of the time gave me opportunity to foothills of the Dolomites but surrounded by
get to know Italy, a love of which has never peaks. It is a centre for sports which includes
left me. After the drab surroundings of fishing and, being a keen fisherman, I tracked
England, Italy provided an entrée to a new down Walter Arnoldo a committee member of
love of life, an appreciation of beauty, the Associazione Pescatori Dilettanti Trentini.
elegance, colour and of course delicious food. Sadly he could not absent himself from his
Ah! The hand-made handbags, the perfectly duties at his hotel to join me and merely issued
fitted shoes and elegant jewellery. Sarte (dress me a licence and guided me where to go.
makers) would even follow us from city to
city, taking an initial deposit after a Having fished the rivers in stifling heat for some
measuring, with a fitting and a further days without success, I returned to my mentor
payment at another location. I bought so much for further advice. “Ah, well you could-a go to
(for others too!) when I arrived home, I only Lago di Erdemolo” (pronounced Air-dair’- mol-
had 7/6d in my pocket but a trunk-full of o). “It eez the best-a chance to catch a big-a fish
hand-made elegant clothes. but a beet of a walk, perhaps 3 hours there and
Of course, there were no tourists and I back”. The Mocheni Valley where the walk starts
remember the Spanish Steps being lined by is particularly beautiful but so cut off that the
azaleas in full bloom where tourists litter them locals have their own dialect incomprehensible
today. We were even taken in a carriage on to either Italian or German speakers.
Christmas Eve past the Coliseum lit up from
inside. Although we were well chaperoned The first half hour of our walk was a constant
(my mother also came several times to see me) incline albeit on a well-laid track. At last the path
we were not devoid of attention by the local levelled off with the hills around us yellow with
young men and I was introduced to Domenico a forest of laburnums in full flower.
Magrone, from a well-established Roman
family who showed me so many of the hidden When we had been climbing for just over an
treasures of his city. I remember being taken hour we were met by a group coming back from
home to meet his parents but despite my above. “Only 15 minutes to go but very steep!
activity (for being a dancer was slightly But the fish in there are big: you will have good
frowned upon in Roman Society) his father sport” they advised. I am not sure whether it
clicked his heels and kissed my hand when we was the language barrier or our advancing years
were introduced! but the 15 turned to be nearer 50 for us, but at
Remember, I was still under 20, but I was last we reached the top of the path and
lucky enough to tour again a few years later overlooked the lake in a deep bowl with the
about which I shall write in the next edition. remnants of a glacier on the other side. Although
the temperature was in the 20’s the glacier had
Lindy Purchase created a self-preservation micro-climate about
it. By this time the laburnum trees had given
way to a carpet of wild azaleas not unlike the
heather in the Highlands.

We sat by the lake and had our sandwiches and I
then put up my 4-piece rod, got my line out and
started fishing in anticipation of a fish to be
measured in kilos. Within a few minutes I could
see the encouraging rings of rising fish.

But it was not long before I realised the rings

Gemelli 86 - May 2022

Recent Events

20th January 2022
“I met a man along the way”
Angela Petch

were in fact raindrops and they were increasing Angela, who spent much of her childhood with
in number at an alarming rate. Then the roll of her family in Rome, loves Italy, and she and her
thunder brought my ambitions to an end. Those husband, divide their time between their homes in
who attended David Edwards’s recent talk will Tuscany and West Sussex. Her talk was about
know that the fiercest storms come in the some chance meetings with folk they encountered
afternoon. Such was this. The communications while living in their Tuscan house.
tower on the mountain above us may have been Angela’s husband, Maurice, recounted a story
a more tempting target for a lightning strike but from the Second World War. As he was bilingual
I was taking no chances. We sheltered at the he was called to their local bar to meet some South
refuge hut for a short while and then submitted Africans whose father had been shot down in the
to the general consensus. After only a few War behind the Gothic Line.
minutes of fishing I put up my rod and we This defence line ran along the summits of the
started our descent. Within seconds a series of Apennine mountains. It was constructed by slave
unbelievable claps of thunder, made all the labour and included machine gun nests,
louder by surrounding walls confirmed our casemates, bunkers, and artillery emplacements,
decision. Then the hail started. and was still being improved even as the Germans
As the hail piled up on the path it showed a were retreating. The South African’s father was
perfectly white route through the wild azaleas. shot down while raiding enemy airfields in 1944.
Then as we descended the downpour turned the He parachuted into a village behind enemy lines
path into a torrential stream, soaked us to the and met an old man who gave him some food and
skin and made us swim in our walking boots. took him to meet the local partisans up in the hills.
They did not dry out for 3 days and then only From there he was taken South by a doctor to be
thanks to the use of the hotel’s hair dryer. hidden by a Padre in a small town.
It took only an hour to reach our starting point From this town he and others were led across two
by which time the weight of the soaked clothes high ridges towards the Gothic Line which they
had added to our misery. The storm had rolled had to cross so as to reach the safety of land held
away, the sun came out and we stood by our car by the Allies. The crossing of the line was made by
with the steam rising from our bodies in a brazenly walking past German patrols, through a
microclimate of steam of our own making. It farmyard, in twos and threes, dressed as farm
was an object lesson in going prepared for any workers, accompanied by the farmer’s son and his
weather in the mountains, whatever it may look dog. While returning to his regiment he heard that
like when you set off. while the Germans were looking for him, the
And the results of the day? Padre had been arrested and shot, and that the
Trekking time – 180 minutes Germans had shot 60 of the 90 inhabitants of the
Fishing time – 18 minutes town including 10 children less than 10 years old.
Trout caught – Nil Another story was about a local farmer, who was a
Chills caught – Two. prisoner of war in England. During his 6 year
incarceration he learnt English, and worked on
Alastair Alexander farms as a farm hand. Although he missed his
home, he said he was well looked after by the
English.
There were similar anecdotes, but not all related to
the war. There was a lovely story about a widow
who was an art restorer. They met her in a

tabernacle working upon a 1520’s fresco. She Gemelli 86 - May 2022
enjoyed her work and was proud of her abilities
as a restorer. Since being widowed she feels her 15th March
husband guides her in her work.
“Dolomites: Killing Mountains”
Gillian and Barry King-Smith
David Edwards
17th February 2022
For his third visit to Chichester, geologist David
“To Italy and Back” Edwards gave us a fascinating overview of the
Dolomites – a talk prepared specially for the
Paul Kopecek Friends of Ravenna.

Drawing upon his wide knowledge of different The Dolomites are part of the European Alps,
styles of art, Paul Kopecek took us on a whistle resulting from the collision between the African
stop tour of cities across several European and European continents forcing huge mountains
countries to look at and compare selected of sediment up from the sea. They are instantly
artworks. We were left breathless as he skipped recognisable for their sheer towering rock faces,
back and forth through the centuries and from spires, cliffs, and crags. Also called the Pale
country to country explaining the links between Mountains, the term Dolomites is derived from
the numerous examples of art and architecture French mineralogist Déodat Gratet de Dolomieu ,
he had selected for us to explore. who was the first to describe the
mineral dolomite, a rare carbonate rock.
The works ranged from Romanesque sculpture
to Renaissance art; from pre-Raphaelite The peaks are a magnet for both geologists and
paintings to Modernist architecture. In each experienced climbers. David showed us several
case, Paul made comparisons between artists staggering, vertigo-inducing photos of himself or
and architects from different countries and was fellow climbers hanging against a sheer drop, as
often able to show us how their knowledge of he described modern climbing equipment and
existing buildings, paintings and sculptures had techniques. Even today, nobody walking or
an influence on their own work, sometimes climbing in the Falzarego region can fail to be
drawing parallels between seemingly disparate struck by the impact of the First World War. In
works of art. All of this was supported by 1915, the Italians joined the Allies and the war
wonderful illustrations of the art and with Austria began in the mountains. The
architecture in question. conditions were brutal, the mountains and the
elements being the harshest adversary for both
The journey started locally in Lavant in the sides. Photographs from the time showed
small 12th century church of St Nicholas where columns of men clinging to the snow and ladders,
there is a monument to Lady Mary May heaving equipment, materials and supplies up to
sculpted in marble by John Bushnell in 1676. their bases, with
Bushnell had visited Rome and Venice before none of the technical
undertaking this work and this influence is equipment or even
apparent in the italianate style of the sculpture. warm clothing, that
David had shown us
Having explored the riches of countries such as for his own climbs.
France, Italy and Spain, through their paintings, More soldiers died
cathedral facades, monumental sculptures, because of the
altarpieces and triptychs, we returned full circle conditions than from
to Chichester and an eighteenth century the fighting. Waging
landscape painting by local artist George Smith, war on the side of a
one of 3 brothers, who was much influenced by mountain was
Italian works painted in the previous century. difficult and
ineffective so both
Fiona Lewis sides tunnelled into
the mountain. The
Austrians took the summit and the Italians dug
upwards intent on blowing them off the
mountain; in one explosion the top of Mount

Lagazuoi was blown off. Gemelli 86 - May 2022

The former military routes up the peaks were For French artists, Rome became a second
restored and opened as Vie Ferrate. David home. At the beginning of the 17th century,
finished his lecture with a walk along VF Ivano France was something of an artistic backwater,
Dibona, a route used in World War I. It starts by
crossing the longest via ferrata suspension bridge
in the Dolomites, the 27-metre-long Ponte
Cristallo. The whole route bears testament to the
WW1 passing emplacements, hideaways, crosses
and chapels and offers beautiful views.

Geoff and Teresa Tomlinson

27th April 2022 How Poussin transformed his own mage from the
“craftsman” to one of a sophisticated artist
“The Italian Connection: Foreign
Artists and the Lure of Rome: 1500 where artists were viewed as craftsmen. That
-1900” changed when Nicolas Poussin travelled to Rome.
His experiences there transformed his vision of
Richard Whincop himself as an artist, after which he rarely returned
to France. Le Brun, a pupil of Poussin, became
Over the centuries Rome has held a magnetic Director of the French Royal Academy and
appeal for artists. Richard's talk to us on the lure established French art in the classical tradition.
of Rome was packed with a fascinating amount of Art education in France remained the same for 200
detail and presented slides of many of the world's years.
greatest paintings. I can only convey the broad
outlines in this article. During the 18th century, the Grand Tour
brought many British artists to Italy. George
The first group to fall under the spell of Rome Stubbs rejected the classical tradition, preferring
were the Romanists from the Netherlands. It came to paint from nature, but Joshua Reynolds and
as a surprise to learn that the style of early Flemish
masters like Van Eyck was more developed than Turner embraced it. Turner visited Venice many
that of their Italian contemporaries such as Fra times and greatly admired the Italianate
Angelico. By the beginning of the 16th century, landscapes painted by Claude Lorrain, such as
however, Flemish artists like Jan Gossaert and that shown here.
Peter Paul Rubens had fallen under the influence
of Raphael and Michelangelo and studied By the mid-19th century, the dream was
anatomy in order to represent an ideal human over. The classical academic style was eclipsed by
figure in their paintings. Later Flemish artists the Impressionists who wanted to paint modern
visiting Italy fell in love with the works of life. Almost overnight, the centre of the artistic
Caravaggio and introduced greater realism and world moved from Rome to France.
drama in their work.

The next group of artists to be influenced by
Rome were the Spanish artists, Ribera and
Velazquez who visited Italy in the 17th century.
At that time, a large part of Italy was ruled by
Spain. These two artists drew inspiration from
Caravaggio and their work combines Italian
classicism with observation of reality.

Regional Specialities Gemelli 86 - May 2022

Parmigiano Reggiano half of any dry elements must be hay.
The classic round form
Do you have the real deal? that the cheese is
shaped into, the wheel,
This is possibly the most famous Italian cheese has to be between 30
in the UK, and the third ranking Italian cheese and 40 kilograms. It will
by production after Gran Padano and be marked with the
Gorgonzola. Apparently it takes up 18% of all cheesemaker's name,
milk produced in Italy. together with other
technical details. These
It has an ancient lineage, mentioned in wheels are stored on
Boccaccio, and Pepys famously had to bury his long shelves and
Parmesan wheel during the Great Fire of cleaned and turned
London. manually or robotically.
At 12 months they are
Historically a side product of the cheese inspected by the Consorzio and branded if they
production process was the famous Prosciutto pass the inspection. The ones that don't are
di Parma. The pigs were kept near to the cows scored on the side to show the failure. The
and fed with the whey. minimum maturity period is 12 months, with 24
months and 30 months usual. Rarer are periods
It's a type of cheese called "grana" which refers of 48 or 72 months. If it's stamped with
to the granular structure, other examples being "stravecchio" that means it 3 years old, and with
Gran Padano. The grana type of cheese is "stravecchiones" it is four or more years old.
typical of the Padana plain in the Po valley, and There are many other rules in connection with
other zones in Piemonte, Veneto and Alto
Adige. the production process, all set out at the official
site at https://www.parmigianoreggiano.com/,
You will find lots of cheeses that call themselves together with lots of other interesting
Parmesan, or Parmigiano, and they may taste information.
lovely, but to merit the DOP marque there are a
lot of hurdles for the cheesemaker to get over, Susan O'Riordan
including having the name Reggiano attached,
all supervised by the Consorzio Parmigiano
Reggiano.

It has to be made from unpasteurised cows'
milk, with only salt as an additive. Historically
the salt was provided from Salsomaggiore.

There's a demarcated zone where it can be
made; Reggio Emilia, Modena, Parma, the left
side of the river Reno in Bologna, and Mantova
on the right side of the Po.

The milk must come from Frisian cows, or more
rarely, from a breed called "la reggiana rossa”.
They must have been pastured on meadows,
"prato stabile" with no artificial irrigation and
which have been maintained only by mowing
and fertilizers (of which there is a limited list).
The fodder must be sourced locally, and at least

FORTHCOMING EVENTS Gemelli 86 - May 2022

June 17th Friday 11am Italian Language
Groups
Annual General Meeting, to be held at St Paul’s
Church Hall. Given below are details of lessons
in normal times. During Covid-19
2 short talks by ex Chairman of Friends of Chartres, restrictions it is important to check
Michael Bevis and Chairman of Friends of Valletta, as the arrangements may be
Graham Pound – their reflections on their role and altered or cancelled completely.
running of their respective organisations during the
pandemic. Followed by lunch at Carluccio’s at Practise speaking Italian and enjoy the
12.45. company of others of similar ability .
We are very fortunate to have the help of
June 20th Monday Cristina Taylor, a native speaker and teacher
of Italian. Cristina is offering groups at three
3 Cities Evening as part of the Festival of levels, each with conversation, grammar,
Chichester reading and some home study. This year
classes will take place at Cristina’s home in
We come together with Friends of Chartres and Chichester or online with Zoom
Friends of Valletta at the Assembly Rooms to Advanced—Tuesdays 10.00 -11.30
present the well known and highly acclaimed RSC Intermediate— Tuesdays 2.30—4.00
actor Edward Bennett in conversation with Intermediate—Wednesdays 10.00 -11.30
Professor Philip Robinson. Intermediate/ Advanced — Wednesdays
2.00-3.30
September 22nd Thursday Intermediate/Advanced—Thursdays 12.00-
1.00 pm
Two talks given by members. Cristina has spaces in some of these classes
and anyone wishing to join one of them
“Guglielmo Marconi: From Bologna to should contact Cristina directly on 01243
Newfoundland via Chelmsford, Cornwall and the 788804
Isle of Wight.” by Peter Turner.
We are fortunate to have the services of Andrea
“My trip to Lake Trasimeno” An account of a Hill, an experienced teacher of languages who
holiday by Jacky Storey. runs two classes, one for Year 2 students and
one for Beginners as follows:
One of Italy’s largest lakes, situated near Perugia in Year 2 —Tuesdays 2.30 - 3.30
the region of Umbria. Beginners—Thursdays 9.30-10.30

October 26th Wednesday Anyone interested in joining any of Andrea’s
classes should contact her directly on 07801
“The White War” by Dr. Mark Thompson. 988257

The fighting between Italy and Austria in the Advanced Conversation
Dolomite mountains during the First World War. This group meets informally every month in
He will discuss the causes of the war and the effect members’ homes on a Thursday evening from
it had on Italy, the people and the geography. 5.30 to 7.00.
If you wish to join the group or would like
November 15th Tuesday further details, please ring the organiser on
01243 776810
“Canaletto and other Italian artists” by local
guide Hilly Sloan.

The arrival of the Italian artist in mid 18th century
England: influence, threat and style.

December 13th Tuesday

“A musical evening for Christmas”

We welcome once again outstanding harpist
Keziah Thomas for a mixed selection of music
and learn something about the harp along the
way.