Georgetown College. Georgetown University.

Michael Brown is currently pursuing a master's degree at the University of Bologna. (Photo: courtesy of Michael Brown)

By Akoto Ofori-Atta

Michael Brown, a former student of Professor Cicali’s, said he believes that there is no greater testament Cicali’s character than his remarkable work ethic.

“While Professor Cicali is certainly engaged in his own research, he never lets such projects interfere with his commitment to his students,” Brown said.

His commitment to his students is far-reaching. In a theatre workshop that Cicali taught, Brown said that he was encouraged to step out of his comfort zone when Cicali prepared his class to present several scenes from the Italian play “Gli innamorai,” written by Italian playwright Goldoni.

“To guide a group of students with little if any acting experience to present a number of scenes from this play in a foreign language is no small task and takes an awful lot of patience,” Brown said of Cicali.  “Though we were all hesitant at first, I had come to really enjoy this activity and certainly took away a strong appreciation of all of the work involved. This was definitely one of my most memorable experiences at Georgetown.”

Brown, who now lives in Italy and has been awarded a fellowship from the European Union's “Erasmus Mundus” program, is currently pursuing a master's degree in Italian and European Literature at the University of Bologna (2008-2009) and at the University of Strasbourg (2009-2010). He said his time as a student with Cicali is invaluable to his educational pursuits.
 
“The knowledge and understanding of Italian theater and opera that I gained through Professor Cicali's classes continue to be great assets to me, particularly now that I am living in Italy again,” Brown said as he reflected on his time at Georgetown in the Department of Italian.

“When I go to the Teatro Comunale, the opera house here in Bologna, I find that I can approach the performances and the works with a much more refined, critical perspective.  My enthusiasm for this art form has only grown as a result of my courses with Professor Cicali.”

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