Transcript:

I believe in creating moments of spontaneous joy for people, and here's an example from a conversation that I had with a professor at CU about La Belle Époque, the time of Monet and Manet. I surprised her with something that she did not see coming.

Brenton Weyi (BW): First, if there were one phrase, one word, one idea that you could leave our listeners with, what would you leave them with?

Giulia Bernardini (GB): Questions.

BW: Awesome. If you had to be stuck on a desert island with one Belle Époque person--

GB: Oh, no. Oh, don't ask me these questions, Brenton. People always ask me, who's your favorite artist? And I'm like, oh, I want to run away and hide.

BW: I knew it'd be your favorite artist.

GB: Oh my goodness.

BW: You could choose two if you really, if you want.

GB: I think I would choose Edward Manet--

BW: Manet.

GB: Yep, because I would be sure to have a really good time.

BW: Oh yeah?

GB: Oh, he loved to eat and he loved to laugh, but I have a feeling he had a very quick wit. And then, I think Mary Cassatt, I think she would be a good counter point to Manet.

BW: And last question for you, what is something you think the world needs right now?

GB: I think we need to be gentler with each other.

BW: Mm. There's something fun I like to do, and none of this is planned beforehand, so we'll see what happens.

[Music plays]

[Rapping] It was magic, just like Houdini, a beautiful conversation with Giulia Bernardini.

We talked about many things, we talked about the heart. We talked about beautiful Belle Epoque, we talked about art.

Because right now, when you're searching for glory, don't be the great man, because there's always a deeper story.

Because right now, it is our stories to play, she's stuck on a desert island, of course, she's choosing Manet.

He was a boisterous man and he was hearty, apparently he was the man who brought the party.

And it's okay on the island, they say it was hot, so you need to balance it out, with a little Mary Cassatt.

So we are having a good time, we're feeling sublime, because back in Paris, they say they were committing crimes.

Because right now, you just couldn't pass, there were many disturbing ideas about the dangerous class.

Classe dangereuax is between him and hers. It was a mystery, and for some people it was a curse.

Because we had to rise up, we had to be on stage, when you look at art, it's time to turn the page. So Giulia wants to pass on just one lesson, if she has one word, she said it's time to question.

It's time to ask, it's time to go deeper, ask about the men in the wings, ask about the creepers. So right now, because it's from the mental, if the world needs one thing, we just need to be gentle.

So Giulia Bernardini, you had the best attitude. Thank you so much for being here, please leave with my gratitude.

GB: Oh, my God. I'm so touched. Brenton, that's so beautiful.