ANU says grazie to departing Italian lecturer

When Grazia Miccichè first arrived at the ANU, she was struck by the broad landscape of Canberra and brightness of light.

 

“There was this incredibly... full on light,” the Italian lecturer says. “Coming from winter in Europe and here it was full summer.”

 

It was early February 2008 and Grazia had begun her placement at the ANU as part of an Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs program.

 

Grazia explains: “There are agreements with universities located all over the world that have Italian departments. Our presence gives an essential contribution to the existing Italian programs at foreign universities.”

 

Professor Catherine Travis, Head of the ANU School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, voiced the School’s gratitude for the program. 

 

“We are extremely grateful for this support, and for the connections with the Embassy of Italy,” Catherine says.

 

Grazia, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a 2014 ANU Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Education winner, is nearing the end of her time with the ANU. She has been reflecting on the contributions she has made over the past eight and a half years and the people she will farewell.

 

One highlight was a course she developed for Bachelor of Art students majoring in music.

 

“It was a course based on the one hand on presenting and introducing Italian opera historically through some main operas,” Grazia says.

 

“The professional part consisted of getting the text, singing and working on diction and interpretation of the text.”

 

The course was inspired by an encounter with a School of Music student who sought her help with Italian diction. The student sang "Un bel dì vedremo" from Puccini’s Madame Butterfly, on which she was to be assessed.

 

“She started and she sang the way she would have any other aria,” Grazia recalls.

 

When the student finished, Grazia asked what she knew about Cio-Cio-san, the character she was portraying. 

 

The student was puzzled by the question. Grazia explained the context of the aria and how, as an audience member, she knows how the opera ends. 

 

Grazia told the student: “So you have to give me passion, longing and, at the same time, a sense of tragedy. Can you do that?”

 

The result was stunning.

 

“She sang it the second time so well that I started crying.” 

 

“And that switched my idea – I have to create a course on this.”

 

Another course Grazia designed factored in the many students studying Italian who were majoring in International Relations, Law or History. The course centred on teaching Italian as it would be used in judicial or diplomatic contexts. Grazia’s contacts at the Italian Embassy gave guest lectures.

 

Professor Travis referenced both courses when noting Grazia’s contributions to the School.

 

“Grazia has brought Italy into our classrooms in more ways than one,” she says.

 

“Students have had the opportunity to learn about Italian diplomacy from Italian diplomats, Italian opera; to meet Italian writers; to publish their translations of prized Italian work – and much more.

 

“The School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics and Grazia’s students will miss her enormously and we wish her the very best for her return to Italy.”

 

While Grazia will next take up a teaching position at the Liceo Classico Vincenzo Gioberti in Torino, Italy, she will remain an ANU Honorary Lecturer.

 

She says that she’s looking forward to the next phase in her teaching career. 

 

“I've had a wonderful experience here in Canberra.

 

“In the same way that I brought some perspectives from Italy here, I will do the same thing when I go back.”