You will work on chapters 1, 2 and 3 of Nuovo Espresso 5 and will read an Italian novel chosen by your teacher, discussing its content and improving your reading skills. 

You will work on chapters 4, 5 and 6 of Nuovo Espresso 5 and will read an Italian novel chosen by your teacher, discussing its content and improving your reading skills. 

You will work on chapters 7, 8 and 9 of Nuovo Espresso 5 and will read an Italian novel chosen by your teacher, discussing its content and improving your reading skills. 

You will work on chapter 10 of Nuovo Espresso 5 and will review the entire book as a strengthening exercise. You will also read an Italian novel chosen by your teacher, discussing its content and improving your reading skills. 

This in-person class is for learners who have accomplished an intermediate level and wish to continue exploring newer aspects of the Italian grammar, strengthening their oral and phonetic skills, and going deeper into the current language and culture of Italy.

Caffè Corretto is a special class we’ve created with Mattia, designed to make learning Italian as effortless and enjoyable as sipping a good cup of coffee.

In this class, Mattia will guide students in reading, speaking, and engaging in meaningful discussions about a renowned Italian book, helping them enhance their language skills naturally and effectively.

Join us for an immersive Italian learning experience, where literature and conversation blend seamlessly—just like a perfectly made caffè corretto.

In the Fall Term, students will read “L’acqua del lago non è mai dolce” by Giulia Caminito, winner of the 2021 Premio Campiello. Set between Rome and Lake Bracciano in the early 2000s, the novel follows Gaia and her family as they try to build a life shaped by economic hardship, determination, and the uncompromising strength of her mother, Antonia.

As Gaia grows up, she learns to rely on herself, navigating school, friendships, family tensions, and a world in which opportunities often seem out of reach. Beneath her apparent resilience, however, lies an anger that can erupt in unexpected ways. Through Gaia’s intense and complex coming-of-age story, the novel explores family, social inequality, identity, ambition, anger, and the challenges faced by a generation growing up with limited horizons.

Powerful and deeply contemporary, “L’acqua del lago non è mai dolce” offers students the opportunity to engage with authentic modern Italian while discussing themes that connect personal experience with broader questions about Italian society.

Join us for an exclusive 8-week advanced reading group starting October 1, where we will discover the novel “Via Gemito” by Domenico Starnone.

Widely regarded as one of the masterpieces of contemporary Italian literature, “Via Gemito” tells the story of Federì, a charismatic and imaginative railway worker with an unshakable dream of becoming a painter. Many years later, his eldest son looks back on his childhood, trying to understand the man he both admired and struggled to accept. As memory intertwines with imagination and truth becomes inseparable from fiction, Starnone creates a deeply moving portrait of family life, artistic ambition, and the complexity of father-son relationships.

Set in post-war Naples, the novel blends autobiography and fiction with extraordinary psychological depth, exploring universal themes such as memory, identity, truth, family dynamics, creativity, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of our lives. Rich in humor, emotion, and vivid descriptions of Naples, Via Gemito is considered a modern classic of Italian literature.

Guided by our experienced instructor, Martina, you’ll engage in in-depth discussions that go beyond the text, exploring the novel’s central themes of memory, identity, artistic aspiration, and family relationships, while also reflecting on its historical and cultural context and its enduring relevance in contemporary Italian literature.

This group is perfect for advanced learners eager to challenge their Italian through rich literary analysis and meaningful conversation while exploring one of the most celebrated novels of modern Italian fiction.

Level: Avanzato and up.

A series of 7 classes, 2 hours each, dedicated to studying, reading, and discussing one of the most significant works of Italian literature.

In the Fall Term, the group will focus on “Cuore” by Edmondo De Amicis, one of the most beloved classics of Italian literature and a timeless portrait of life, education, and society in post-unification Italy. First published in 1886, the novel is presented as the diary of Enrico, a young schoolboy, who recounts the experiences, friendships, challenges, and moral lessons of an academic year. Through its memorable characters and the famous monthly stories, Cuore celebrates values such as kindness, respect, courage, solidarity, and love for learning, while offering a vivid glimpse into Italian culture and history.

More than a children’s novel, Cuore has shaped generations of Italian readers and remains an enduring symbol of civic responsibility, compassion, and personal growth. Its elegant yet accessible language and universal themes continue to resonate with readers of all ages.

Under Mattia‘s guidance, students will explore the historical and cultural context of the novel, Edmondo De Amicis’s life and literary legacy, and the themes that have made Cuore a cornerstone of Italian literature.

In the Fall Term, you will explore contemporary Rome through Giancarlo De Cataldo’s crime novel “Delitto in cornice”.

The story takes readers into the fascinating and eccentric world of Rome’s contemporary art scene, where controversial artist Verena Rex is found dead in the warehouse where she filmed her performances. With her computer and phone missing and the value of her artwork suddenly soaring, investigators are left wondering whether her death was an accident, an elaborate artistic suicide, or murder. When a second crime further complicates the case, the mystery becomes even more intriguing.

At the center of the investigation is Manrico Spinori, an unflappable public prosecutor and passionate opera lover, assisted by his formidable all-female team. Surrounded by eccentric artists, vain critics, and capricious collectors, Spinori must navigate a world where appearances can be deceiving and uncover the false note hidden within the case. Through mystery, art, and a touch of irony, Delitto in cornice offers an engaging glimpse into contemporary Roman life and culture.

Through the pages of this carefully selected book, along with short videos and class discussions, you’ll explore Italy’s regional culture, traditions, and contemporary issues, all while improving your Italian language skills. The course encourages conversation and analysis, offering a dynamic and immersive learning experience.

In addition to reading and discussion, you’ll also review key grammar topics, using the book and videos as a springboard for natural, engaging conversation.

Join us for this unique exploration of Italy—one region, one story at a time!

iscover the major artistic movements that shaped the first half of the twentieth century in this 6-week course taught entirely in Italian by special guest Professor Simone Ciglia, Assistant Teaching Professor at the University of Oregon and internationally recognized art historian and curator.

Through a chronological and thematic journey —from 1900 to 1945 -, participants will explore the evolution of modern art from Liberty to Futurism, Cubism, Metaphysical Painting, Surrealism, Abstraction, and the “ritorno all’ordine’, while placing Italian art within its broader international context.

Designed for students with an Avanzato level or higher, the course offers a unique opportunity to deepen both your knowledge of Italian culture and your advanced Italian language skills. It will be followed in the Winter Term by a second course dedicated to Contemporary Italian Art.

Level: Avanzato and up.

About the Instructor

Simone Ciglia (Pescara, Italy, 1982) is an art historian, curator, and critic. He currently serves as Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Oregon and as Chief Curator of Fondazione La Rocca (Pescara, Italy). His research focuses on marginal spaces within contemporary art, with particular emphasis on its intersections with agriculture, craft, and utopian and dystopian impulses. He serves as a correspondent for Flash Art magazine and writes for a variety of publications, including Treccani and Zanichelli.

He has curated exhibitions internationally, including most recently: The Whisperers (Ditch Projects, Springfield, OR), 2026; Il difficile è dimenticare ciò che si è visto per casa (Ritratto di Pescara per caso). Matteo Fato (Fondazione La Rocca, Pescara), 2025; Il campo espanso. Arte e agricoltura in Italia dagli anni Sessanta a oggi (Palazzo Collicola, Spoleto), 2025; 6 memo per questo millennio. 75° Premio Michetti (Museo Michetti, Francavilla al Mare), 2024. He has curated projects for Pesaro 2024 Capitale Italiana della Cultura, Fondazione Malvina Menegaz, and 16ª Quadriennale di Roma.

Ciglia has also taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Urbino, Italy, and served as an Assistant Researcher at the MAXXI – National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome. He holds a Ph.D. in the History of Contemporary Art from the Sapienza University of Rome.