may 2017 bulletin - uwcba.com.ar · providing anecdotes about the individuals we meet as we read as...

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Design: Patricia Caviezel

University Women’s Club of Buenos Aires

MAY 2017 Bulletin

Issue 185

1935—2017


Dear Members,

The fall weather has brought us shorter days and golden foli-age along with cool temperatures, per-fect for the season!!!!

Our April speaker, Juan María Segura, addressed the dis-satisfaction with the educational system that is shared by many western coun-tries with different levels of develop-ment. The audience engaged Mr. Segura in a lively exchange demonstrating the importance our mem-bers assign to this theme. Next month we will hear from a journalist who is a Shakespeare fan. I am sure familiarity with his tragedies and comedies helps her to identify the contemporary equiva-lents to the Elizabe-than stage she en-counters in her activ-ity.

Starting this month

I will highlight the ac-tivity of the Commit-tees and Study Groups that work constantly searching for interest-ing projects for our members. One such project was our visit to the Tigre Art Mu-seum (MAT) to see the powerful sculptures of Hernán Dompé. Frida Chepelinsky organized the visit and the guid-ed tour. The balmy sunny day enhanced our experience.

Please mark your cal-endars, our May lunch-eon has moved to May 23rd, the fourth Tues-day of the month. This exceptional change has been made at the request of the Norwegian Embassy who will celebrate their Independence Day at Pur Sang on May 16th.

We continue using EVITE to advertise the monthly luncheons and are committed to help you use the pro-gram to its full capaci-

ty. Exploring the EVITE invitation allows the re-cipient to learn who will be the speaker and title of the presentation. A live link leads to addi-tional information posted on our website. Addi-tionally, clicking on the Guests button will dis-play the names of the members who plan to at-tend the luncheon. A great time to contact a friend you wish to see there! The information is updated as more guests sign for the event. I recommend vis-iting it more than once.

PRESIDENT’s Note

OFFICERS

President: Mariel

Birnbaumer

Vice–President: Monica

Plou

Secretary: Willow Running

Hawk

Co-Secretary: Looking for a

volunteer

Treasurer: Phyllis Barrantes

Advisor: Monica Plou

COMMITTEES

Archives: Patricia Caviezel

Continuing Education:

Christine Clark e

Hospitality: Wendy Huebner

Membership: Kathryn

Power

Program: Hanneke

Vaanhold, Masako Kano,

Isabel de la Torre, Advisor

Communications:

Phyllis Barrantes

Claudia Bergquist

Patricia Caviezel

Melissa Downey

Monica Plou

Joanna Richardson

Special Activities:

Elena Catena

Art Show: Maria Rosa Braile

Study Groups: Kathy Hall

Book club: Pamela Corbett,

French: Kathy Hall

Italian through Opera:

Frida Chepelinsky

Spanish through Experience:

Shake Balian

Frida Chepelinsky

Writer’s Workshop: Shake Balian UWC meets the Colon: Elena

Levin

Literary Masters: Vivien Lane

Table of Contents

Officers 2

President ’s Note 2,

Program 3

Study Groups 4

Spanish Through Experience 4

Book Club 5

Italian Through Opera 5

Literary masters 6

Spanish Through Experience 6

Writer’s Workshop 6

UWC Meets Colon 7

Continuing Education 8

Community Input 8

Dues 9

Hospitality 10

Minutes 10

Calendar 11


Monthly Program: Dreaming Shakespeare "Such stuff as dreams are made on..." by Cristina Pérez

Cristina Pérez is journalist, author and actress. She has a vast career as a journalist in Argentine Media. She has been working in national television for the last 25 years. She has been co-hosting Telefe Noticias prime time edition since 2002, in Telefe (Channel 11), a leading network. She also has her own daily radio show, "Confesiones", in Radio Mitre AM790, a top radio in Argentina.

As an author, Cristina has written two fic-tion books, El Jardin de los Delatores, her first novel, and Cuentos Inesperados, a short stories collection.

Cristina runs her own website cristinaperez.com.ar where she publishes a diverse range of articles including current affairs, travel chronicles, literature and opinion on different fields.

She frequently publishes in newspapers and magazines such as Revista Noticias, La Nación, Clarin and Perfil. As of last year she has been working for BBC Mundo, telling stories about Argentina from a regional perspective.

As an actress she has played three major roles in Shakespearean performances of the Buenos Aires Shakespeare Festival.

She has studies in History (UNT) and English Literature (University of London and Oxford Continuing Education).

She is a member of FOPEA (Foro de Periodismo Argentino), an NGO that advo-cates freedom of expression and better professional standards for journalists.

STUDY GROUPS Chairperson Kathy Hall


SPANISH THROUGH EXPERIENCE Chairpersons Shake Balian & Frida Chipelinsky

Revisiting the Tigre Art Museum To celebrate its 10th anniversary, the Art Museum Tigre organized a retrospective exhibition of the

Argentine sculptor HERNÁN DOMPÉ. Spanish through Experience also celebrates the 10th anniversary

of the UWC’s first visit back in 2007.

As we visited the museum for a guided tour of Hernán

Dompé‘s exhibition 10 years later, on Wednesday April

12th, it was a pleasure to recall the group that accompa-

nied us 10 years

ago.

Left to right: Mariel Birnbaumer, Frida Chepelinsky,

Shaké Balian, Patricia Caviezel

Shaké Balian, Patricia, Caviezel, Frida Chepe-

linsky, Mariel Birnbaumer

OCTOBER 24, 2007

GUIDED VISIT TIGRE ART

MUSEUM

Left to right: Barbara Wollak, Elena Levin, Shaké Balian,

Museum Guide, Frida Chepelinsky, Micaela Meyer, Charmian

Brainwood, Alicia Magide and Patricia Caviezel.

Shaké Balian began the Spanish through Experience activity

over 20 years ago to fulfill the need of many non-Spanish

speaking members in the Club. We continue to benefit from

her marvelous initiative. Many thanks dear Shaké.

Frida Chepelinsky

BOOK CLUB Chairwoman Pamela Corbett,


In April the UWC Book Club met at the beautiful home of Barbara Wollack in Recoleta.

Members present were Marta Donadeu, Pamela Ferguson, Maria Canepa, Phyllis Bar-

rantes and Barbara, the hostess. The book discussed was “Sarah’s Key” by Tatiana de

Rosnay. The narrative covers two periods, first in July 1942 when the Nazis are in power

in France. The narrative looks at the role of the French police in the round-up of Jews in

Paris with their subsequent deportation to Auschwitz and the life of a girl, Sarah Starzyn-

ski, who is saved by a couple of French peasants. Sarah’s little brother remains behind in

the family’s flat in Paris locked in a cupboard for his safety.

The second period of the novel narrates the search for Sarah and her little brother by an

American journalist, Julia Jarmond, covering the story for a French journal on the 60th

anniversary of the round up at Vel d’Hiv stadium where the French Jews were held before

their journey to the prison camps. Julia manages to locate Sarah in America, after her

death, but meets Sarah’s son William who is unaware of his mother’s past history. The

novel ends with the beginning of a love story between Julia and William.

During the afternoon the UWC members shared differing points of view on the merits of

the novel and this made for a very interesting afternoon. A motion picture of this book

was produced by Stephane Marsil under the same title with Kristin Scott Thomas as Julia

and Aidan Quin as William. Some of the members of the Book Club recalled having seen

it on television some years ago.

The next Book Club meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 13, at the home of Phyllis Bar-

rantes and the book for that meeting will be “The Noise of Time” by Julian Barnes.

PAMELA FERGUSON KLEIN CORBETT

ITALIAN THROUGH OPERA Chairperson Frida Chepelinsky:

A quick reminder Italian Through Opera will meet on May 2nd this month and not in

June.

Thank you,

Frida Chepelinsky 4311-6826


SPANISH THROUGH EXPERIENCE Chairperson Shake Balian

LITERARY MASTERS Chairperson Vivien Lane

“The Sound and The Fury” by Willian Faulkner is the first book the literature group is reading this

year. Vivien Lane prepared a character map to help readers understand character relationships

providing anecdotes about the individuals we meet as we read as well as background information on

Faulkner. In order to understand the setting in which the story takes place Vivien presented us with

the background of the Compson family’s social and economic situation which gave us deeper under-

standing of the first chapter. As Vivian read and explained excerpts from chapter one we began to

appreciate the complexity of the characters and value the skill with which Faulkner weaves a web of

character interrelationships using stream of consciousness.

The opening chapter is narrated by the retarded son in the Compson family, Benji; the reader seems

to be a voyager into the brain of Benji, who has the mental capacity of a three-year-old child, experi-

encing his view of the world. Faulkner uses interior monolog switching from present to past and back

again, giving us the feeling of being inside Benji’s head.

Spanish Through Experience has organized a visit to the atelier of the prestigious artist Fer-

nanda Piamonti at Finochietto 630 in San Telmo on Wednesday May 10 at 3:00 pm. Fernanda will

talk about her work and answer our questions. She has shown her work in the Museo Petorotti, Mus-

eo Quinquela Martin, Museo Metropolitano, Centro Cultural Recoleta, Centro Cultural Borges, Arte BA,

HPU University, North Carolina, Landmannstr 31, Köln, Germany and the Salon National Palais de

Glace in BA. She was awarded scholarships in France and Spain. Her work can be seen in the Funda-

cion YPF, the Banco Nación, the Fundación OSDE and the Instituto Fleming to name just a few. Fer-

nanda teaches Art in Argentina, Germany and the USA.

Please call Shake at 4786 – 6193 to sign up. *There is a maximum of 22 visitors. *

Adriana was our kind hostess for the meeting in April.

We naturally talked about the holidays, our readings and the importance of coffee in our lives.

Pamela presented us with comments on drying clothes: Shaké spoke about how and why she learned

to read (Armenian) in her youth - NOT an everyday achievement: Liliana wrote about having a good

day in Buenos Aires while Charmian had apparently decided to turn into a Cat.

Our next meeting will be on the FIRST WEDNESDAY in MAY at 3pm

charmian

WRITER’S WORKSHOP Chairperson Charmian Brainwood

UWC MEETS TEATRO COLON Chairwoman Elena Levin


On Monday 10th April we met at Mariel’s home to consider and listen to Richard Wagner’s sec-

ond opera (but first to be performed in public) “Das Liebesverbot” (Forbidden Love). Elena Levin first of all

asked Phyllis Barrantes to talk a little about Richard Wagner and the Wagner Clan, given that she recently

read an acclaimed book on the subject by Jonathan Carr (The Wagner Clan: The Saga of Germany's Most Il-

lustrious and Infamous Family).

As is well known, the controversy surrounding Richard Wagner and his music is all related to his self-

proclaimed anti-Semitism and the links drawn between his music, German culture and subsequently, after

his death, Nazism.

It was pointed out that much of the close linkage between Wagnerian music and Nazism in general, Hitler in

particular, is due to the specific efforts on the part of several of Richard Wagner’s immediate descendants to

exploit Hitler’s passion for his music in order to perpetuate the influence of the Wagner Clan and the continu-

ation of the Bayreuth Festival.

We followed the evolution of Wagner’s attempts to create a “Gesamtkunstwerk”, a sort of all-embracing art form,

how he went from being an anarchistic revolutionary in his early years to later becoming a hero of the con-

servative bourgeoisie; how he passed from being exiled as a revolutionary (he was involved in a radical move-

ment which embraced the concept of free love, influencing him at the time he was composing Das Liebesver-

bot) to being considered the posthumous “House Composer” of Nazi Germany.

Elena then spoke about the opera itself, the libretto of which (written by Wagner himself) is based roughly on

Shakespeare’s play Measure for Measure. Written in Wagner’s youth, the style of the opera differs enormous-

ly from his mature works. It has rarely been seen and suffered a disastrous first performance and a second

performance which had to be abandoned, ending up in a violent free-for-all in the theatre. We read quite an

amusing account of the unfortunate succession of events in Wagner’s own words.

Elena found the performance at the Colón vastly superior to that of the DVD we watched/listened to at our

session. The scenography and mise-en-scène at the Colón were in fact the same as on the DVD, but executed

to better effect. The orchestra and singers (especially Christian Hübner (Brighella), María Hinojosa (Dorella)

and Lise Davidsen (Isabella) and chorus were also in Elena’s opinion very good.

We continued our discussion of the opera around Mariel’s beautifully presented table whilst enjoying deli-

cious goodies.

Phyllis Barrantes

NOTE: UWC Meets Teatro Colón will meet Monday May 15th, at 3 PM at Mariel Birnbaumer’s home. The topic will be Handel’s “Giulio Cesare”, presented by Elena Levin. Please confirm your attendance by emailing Mariel or calling 4782-3066.

COMMUNITY INPUT

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Chairperson Christine Clark

FRENCH CONVERSATION

Chairperson Kathy Hall

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FOUR FIELDS OF ANTHROPOL-

OGY:

CULTURAL, PHYSICAL, ARCHAEOLOGY & LINGUISTICS

Barbara Grünenfelder-Elliker

will be giving this presentation on

THURSDAY JUNE 1st

at Joanna's home, beginning at 14.30.

Barbara is an Anthropologist, having obtained an MA in

Anthropology and a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the

City University of NewYork. She has given numerous cours-

es and seminars at graduate and undergraduate levels, as

well as talks to the general public.

We look forward to hearing her at the beginning of June.

Christine Clarke

DAY BY DAY at the ABCC:

Since the Buenos Aires Herald changed to a weekly edition, the ABCC, www.abcc.org.ar, has taken

over the Day by Day segment to keep the Community informed (http://www.abcc.org.ar/day-by-day).

People may wish to publish an anniversary, wedding, birth or an obituary, etc., with a longer text

than they used to in the Herald, and we would publish it for a donation. Though we do not use the

Herald’s tariffs, we would appreciate your generosity when placing the notice. The publication would

be online for the whole month, not just a day. Please contact the ABCC at [email protected] or by

phone (54 11) 5254-8064/5, Mondays to Fridays, 10 to 5pm.

Thank you for spreading the news!

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The elected UWC Vice-president, Frances Perry Pitchon, is not able to assume her position as an of-

ficer of the Club as planned since she must assist her family in the United States. The Board grateful-

ly thanks Monica Plou, who generously agreed to carry out the VP duties for an additional year. Thus,

when you have news please send the information to Monica to be published in UWCNews.


The French Conversation Group has met two times

this year, on the 31st of March we met in a coffee

shop in Barrio Norte and on the 28th of April in Cabal-

lito. As usual our conversations touched on many

subjects and on both occasions we had a very nice

time conversing in French over a cup of coffee.

Next month, we will meet on the 4th Friday at one of

our member’s home in Barrio Norte. If you are inter-

ested in getting information about the group or join-

ing us:

Write to Kathy at [email protected] or by

Phone to 44331790

http://www.abcc.org.ar/

http://www.abcc.org.ar/day-by-day

mailto:[email protected]


Contact information:

[email protected],

Check out the Bulletin on our

beautiful new website.

Password:

bulletin2016

www.uwcba.com.ar

Dues for 2017

Inscription Fee:

$500 (new members

only)

Membership dues:

$500

Those who still haven’t paid their 2017

dues, please do so as soon as possible.

Members who are not up to date on their dues will

be asked to pay as a guest at the luncheons.


CONTINUING EDUCATION

JOANNA RICHARDSON will give a

presentation of her visit to

New Zealand “THE LAND OF THE LONG

WHITE CLOUD”

On Thursday, May 4th at 14. 30

In Joanna’s house.

Please confirm attendance to Christine Clarke

[email protected]

[email protected]

4501 - 4629

Reminder: We will continue col-

lecting donations at the next

luncheon towards defraying the

cost of the new UWC projector.

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH

www.iawmh.org NOTICIERO SUDAMERICANO IAWMH

REPRESENTANTE REGIONAL DE SUDAMERICA ANTE EL CON-

SEJO DIRECTIVO: PROF. DRA ELENA LEVIN

For those interested in finding out more about women’s health

contact: [email protected]

http://www.uwcba.com.ar/


MEMBERS AND GUESTS (both men and women) are most welcome at our luncheons at Pur Sang, Quintana 191

(corner Montevideo Street)

Cost for members $350 and $450 for guests and members without a reservation.

Make your reservations early and remember: members who fail to reserve will pay as a guest.

If you would like a vegetarian or non-gluten menu, you must order it with your reservation, not at the luncheon.

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION EARLY:

Reservations close at 6:00 pm on Sunday before the luncheon.

For phone reservations call Betty Whiteman 4786 - 3766

For e-mail reservations write at: [email protected]

COFFEE TABLE RESERVATIONS

Come join us for the SPEAKER at 1:15 for $100 pesos. We offer a coffee or tea table for your convenience.

GUESTS

If you are a guest, you may come twice in one year. After that, you may like to write to the membership committee

asking to join the UWC Thank you, Kathryn Power

Monthly

Luncheon

May 23

2017

11:45 am – 2:30pm

Pur Sang

Qunitana 191


University Women’s Club

Luncheon Minutes

April 18, 2017

Pur Sang Quintana 101

Mariel Birnbaumer opened the meeting at 12:40 pm.

Club business followed:

Book Sale today. All proceeds go to El Pingo School.

Study Group announcements and sign-ups have been moved to a

convenient location just inside the entrance, for improved visibility.

Writer’s Workshop is moving from the first Tuesday to the first

Wednesday. Next meeting will be Wednesday May 3rd.

New UWC Member: Lucrecia Piñeiro, Chemist, Ph.D. UBA attended

her first luncheon. Special guests: Alan Arntsen, UWC luncheon

speaker in August 2014 and Monica Bosch.

Our speaker today is Juan Maria Segura. He is an advisor and consultant in innovation and education management. Andrés

has a bachelor’s from the U. of San Andrés, and a Master’s in Public Policy from the U. of Chicago. He has directed educa-

tional projects and institutions in many different countries. In 2010 he joined the Ministry of Education of the City of Buenos

Aires to launch the program “one laptop per child” (200,000 netbooks), acting as General Manager of Digital Education.

Andrés spoke at length regarding education in Argentina. He posed the question: “Is the state of education in Argentina a

problem to be solved, or a deeply embedded cultural trait?” He definitely pushed a few buttons. The room was quite en-

gaged with some very interesting topics, such as traditional classrooms vs. online learning; the advanced neurocognitive

skills of millennials (“demons or angels?”) and the complex issues involved in teaching critical thinking. We are facing chal-

lenges in education today that were unthinkable just a few years ago, yet we are still dealing with basic issues such as the

shortage of primary teachers with university degrees, teacher absenteeism and lack of innovation. As a result many stu-

dents fail basic skills and the middle school dropout rate is a stunning 45%.

Mariel thanked Juan Maria amongst enthusiastic applause and the meeting was officially adjourned at 2:30.

Submitted by Willow Running Hawk

Left to right: Lucrecia P. Calvo, Christine Moore, Elena Levin, M. Isabel de la Torre, Juan Maria Segura, Kathryn Power, Vivien Lane, Mariel Birnbaumer.


Meeting times

ITALIAN THROUGH

OPERA FIRST MONDAY

10:30

WRITER’S WORK-

SHOP: FIRST Wednesday

3:00

UWC MEETS

COLON Third MONDAY in May

3:00 PM

BOOK CLUB: SECOND TUESDAY

2:30

SPANISH

THROUGH EXPERI-

ENCE: Check Calendar

LUNCHEON: THIRD TUESDAY

11:45-2:30

LITERARY MAS-

TERS THIRD THURSDAY

3:00—5:00

BOARD

MEETING: FOURTH TUESDAY

10:00-12:00

CONTINUING

EDUCATION FOURTH THURSDAY

2:30

FRENCH

CONVERSATION FOURTH FRIDAY

2:3

s m t w t f s

1 2 Italian

through Opera

3Writers’

Workshop 4Continuing

Education

5 6

7 8 9 10 STE

Artist:Fenanda

Piamonte

11 12 13

14 15UWC

Meets Colon 16

17 18 Lite-

rary Masters 19 20

21 22 23 Lun-

cheon Meeting

24 25 26 French Con-

27

28 29 30 Board

Meeting 31

May 2017


Note: For this month only

the Luncheon date is the 4th

Tuesday in May

s m t w t f s

1 2 3

4 5 6 7Writers’

Workshop

8 9 10

11 12UWC

Meets Colon 13 Book

Club

14

15 16 17

18 19

20 Luncheon

Meeting 21 2221Lite-

rary Masters

23 24

25 26 27 Board

Meeting

28 29 STE National

Library

30 French

Conversation

June 2017

may 2017 bulletin - uwcba.com.ar · providing anecdotes about the individuals we meet as we read as...

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