Chiesa Nuova (Chicago)
Encyclopedia
Chiesa Nuova is a Franciscan
performing arts
ministry and venue located in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1995, Chiesa Nuova (Italian
for "new church") bears the name of a Franciscan
church in Assisi, Italy - Chiesa Nuova
. The mission
of Chiesa Nuova is to witness God’s beauty and love through the performing arts
by inviting artists and the community to mutually experience the fine arts in a Franciscan
atmosphere of hospitality, openness and peace. The not-for-profit organization is solely supported by donations and box office receipts.
Chiesa Nuova’s first public event was a mounting of the musical, Songs of Mother Earth, by Robert Hutmacher, began the first-ever public event, followed by a benefit concert by bass-baritone
, Alan Held, at the Chicago Cultural Center
in 1996.
Chiesa Nuova moved to its present location at 230 South Laflin, Chicago
, in January, 1999. The building is an 1881 carriage house
and part of the Jackson Historic District.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
ministry and venue located in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1995, Chiesa Nuova (Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
for "new church") bears the name of a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
church in Assisi, Italy - Chiesa Nuova
Chiesa Nuova (Assisi)
The Chiesa Nuova is a church in Assisi, Italy, built in 1615 on the site of the presumed birth place of St. Francis, the house of Pietro di Bernardone...
. The mission
Mission (Christian)
Christian missionary activities often involve sending individuals and groups , to foreign countries and to places in their own homeland. This has frequently involved not only evangelization , but also humanitarian work, especially among the poor and disadvantaged...
of Chiesa Nuova is to witness God’s beauty and love through the performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
by inviting artists and the community to mutually experience the fine arts in a Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
atmosphere of hospitality, openness and peace. The not-for-profit organization is solely supported by donations and box office receipts.
History
Chiesa Nuova was founded by Robert M. Hutmacher, O.F.M., in 1995. He named the performing arts ministry after the church in Assisi, Italy where we lived and studied over the course of 15 years.Chiesa Nuova’s first public event was a mounting of the musical, Songs of Mother Earth, by Robert Hutmacher, began the first-ever public event, followed by a benefit concert by bass-baritone
Bass-baritone
A bass-baritone is a high-lying bass or low-lying "classical" baritone voice type which shares certain qualities with the true baritone voice. The term arose in the late 19th century to describe the particular type of voice required to sing three Wagnerian roles: the Dutchman in Der fliegende...
, Alan Held, at the Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Cultural Center
The Chicago Cultural Center, opened in 1897, is a Chicago Landmark building that houses the city's official reception venue where the Mayor of Chicago has welcomed Presidents and royalty, diplomats and community leaders. It is located in the Loop, across Michigan Avenue from Millennium Park...
in 1996.
Chiesa Nuova moved to its present location at 230 South Laflin, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, in January, 1999. The building is an 1881 carriage house
Carriage house
A carriage house, also called remise or coach house, is an outbuilding which was originally built to house horse-drawn carriages and the related tack.In Great Britain the farm building was called a Cart Shed...
and part of the Jackson Historic District.
Today
Chiesa Nuova presents a wide variety of artistic performances at the Laflin location and at venues and churches throughout the Chicago area. Musicians and artists in each series represent all faiths and types of music. Chiesa Nuova is a member of the League of Chicago TheatresExternal links
- Chiesa Nuova website
- Street map from Google