John Bensalhia
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John is a freelance journalist who has contributed to various magazines and websites for more than 12 years. Born in London in 1974, he went on to complete an English degree at university and then gained a diploma in Magazine Journalism in 1999. Since then he has written about a wide variety of subjects including ports and harbours, franchising, builders' merchants, tractors, arboriculture, the TV programme Doctor Who, motorcycles, sports, DIY, and of course, Italy! When not writing, his hobbies include travel, films, cooking, gardening, and playing the drums. See more of his work here.
Articles by John Bensalhia
Background
Il Trovatore took a long time coming from its original conception in 1850 through to its eventual performance in early 1853. This fou…
In our second article dedicated to the Italian Renaissance, John Bensalhia assesses the core beliefs and philosophies that defined it.
Humanism
The Re…
John Bensalhia kicks off his look at the Italian Renaissance with a brief guide as to its origins, the main players and the schools of thought behind…
John Bensalhia looks at a mixture of festivals, shows and exhibitions taking place in Italy throughout February 2014.
February is the first sign that…
John Bensalhia begins his monthly look at some interesting and notable events, shows and exhibitions taking place in Italy.
January's normally the mon…
With the Christmas season in full swing, John Bensalhia looks at some of the most popular drinks in Italy to suit dinners, parties and cafés.
MULLED W…
Background
Hot on the heels of the success of Rigoletto, Verdi was commissioned to put together another opera by La Fenice. Verdi's next inspirational…
BACKGROUNDOne of the most acclaimed Verdi operas, Rigoletto at one point, was very much a case of “touch and go”. The three-act opera, based on Victor…
BACKGROUND
Having enjoyed a hugely successful career, by the early 1870s, Verdi felt that the time was right to take retirement. Verdi's publisher dis…
BACKGROUND
If there was one Verdi opera that could lay claim to being the longest, it's Don Carlo.
Don Carlo started out life as a five-act opera that…
BACKGROUND
Having been an admirer of Shakespeare's works, it is no surprise that Verdi wrote a number of operas based on some of his most famous play…
John Bensalhia looks at Thomas Jefferson's 1787 tour of northern Italy, and his observations on Italian life in the late 18th century
In 1787, Thomas…
BACKGROUND Based on both the Biblical story of Nebuchadnezzar and the 1836 play by Auguste Anicet-Bourgeois and Francis Cornue, Nabucco was the Verdi…
John Bensalhia provides an overview of some of the top comic acting and entertainment talent to have graced Italy over the last 100 years...
Totò
W…
BACKGROUND
Un Ballo in Maschera has a complex genesis. The end product is the result of numerous changes, rewrites, and no doubt, one or two headache…
From standalone snacks through to food accompaniments through to desserts, cheese is one of the cornerstones of Italian meals. John Bensalhia assesses…
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of the greatest Italian romantic composers of all time. Giuseppe Verdi was responsible for s…
John Bensalhia looks at five well-known Italian festivals, and investigates their backgrounds and notable quirks.In June 2012, we listed some of the n…
John Bensalhia settles down with a tub of popcorn to look at some of the critical and commercial Italian film successes of 2012...Io e Te (Me And You)…
A host of Italian New Year's Eve celebrations will ensure that 2013 is a lucky, prosperous year. John Bensalhia looks ahead to some of the highlights.…