Sortthroughout Italy the initiatives to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Andrea Camilleriwhich occurs on September 6th. Editorial releases, meetings, literary prizes, conferences and shows put the figure and work of the great Sicilian writer at the center.
With beyond 30 million copies sold, translated into almost 40 languagesCamilleri entered the legend of literature and publishing, not only Italian, and also in the history of television, thanks to the lucky transposition of Commissioner Montalbano who, still today, continues to collect enormous success.
In Rome and Taormina: Conversations with Tiresia and the Docufilm Camilleri 100
There are many who remember him, first of all the Andrea Camilleri Fund, chaired by his daughter Andreina, and the Camilleri 100 National Committee who, together with prestigious media partners, have put several initiatives on site. To hear his unmistakable voice once again, there House of Cinema of Rome will broadcast conversations on Tiresia, the last show written and played by Camilleri, It was staged only at the Greek theater in Syracuse on 11 June 2018, for the theatrical direction of Roberto Andò. The appointment is September 6ththe day of his birth, at the Ettore Scola Theater Outdoors.
Always in September, Friday 5 and Saturday 6, the Taormina Arte Sicilia Foundation organizes two evenings dedicated to him. The Foundation will also host the preview of the new Docufilm Camilleri 100 by Francesco Zippel with the testimonies, among others, by Francesco Bruni, Fabrizio Gifuni and Donatella Finocchiaro.
Camilleri 100 docufilm poster, directed by Francesco Zippel. Courtesy Punto e comma office office
The memory of the former students and the city of Bari
Bari and Rome pay homage to the talented writer with two reading. September 14 At the Auditorium Parco della Musica Ennio Morricone will be staged Andrea Camilleri, birth of a legend. From the first poems to the first Montalbanoedited by Felice Laudadio and Ennio Coltorti and with the participation of 12 former students of Camilleri in the National Academy of Dramatic Art. The second and dual appointment will take place in Bari, on 12 October at the Piccinni Theater and Monday 13 October at Petruzzelli Theater with the title Welcome back to Bari, dear Camilleri. At the end of the 1950s, in fact, the writer had the direction of some theatrical performances staged at the Piccinni Theater in Bari and produced by the Stabile Teatro di Bari. Camilleri returned to Bari in 2014, to keep a very applauded Masterclass at the Petruzzelli Theater and to receive the “Fellini Prize for artistic excellence”.
Passages of customs and biographies: the books dedicated to him
Among the many books that commemorate it there is a highly anticipated exit, the most important for the Dogana passages by Giulio Perrone Editore. It is In Sicily with Andrea Camilleri by Gaetano Savatteri and Salvatore Picone.
The book is an itinerary among the real and imaginary places of the writer, From Porto Empedocle to Vigàta, who has been able to transform Sicily into a poignant and unique universe, capable of attracting thousands of tourists every year. His story is that of a child who sneaks into his parents’ attic, finds Simenon’s yellows kept in a sack of jute and read them greedily, thus starting to write that “delayed destiny”, as he loved to define the literary debut at almost sixty years with the cycle dedicated to Montalbano. And then the relationship with Luigi Pirandello, the meetings with legendary characters such as Leonardo Sciascia, Robert Capa and Elvira Sellerio, are some of the anecdotes enclosed in his first biography Andrea Camilleri, a story (Salani) by Luca Crovi.
The Italians and the dialect of Camilleri: Audible’s research
85% of Italians meet Camilleri and are the only contemporary author who remember for the use of dialect. His notoriety is mainly due to films and TV series (62%), follow his books (40%). Furthermore, its popularity is among two other sacred monsters of Italian dialectal literature: Trilussa and Eduardo De Filippo. These are some of the data that emerged from Search for Audible The Italians and the dialect on the centenary of Camilleri. The sample interviewed has no doubts: dialect is a cornerstone of Italian culture (89%). and has the potential to represent a bridge between generations (79%). The interviewees share the Camillerian point of view according to which dialect is the language of affections and can represent a bridge between generations (79%). Also in this lies the fortune of Camilleri’s novels, in having created a language with great expressive force capable of evoking contexts of ancestral familiarity.
The evening event dedicated to the Camilleri Prize – New storytellers
The panorama of literary prizes is enriched with a new recognition dedicated to the great narrator. The Andrea Camilleri Prize – New narrators, called by the Fund Andrea Camilleri and edited by Arianna Mortelliti, writer and grandson of the writer, He intends to enhance the different forms of writing, in the footsteps of the writer who has experienced languages and genres throughout his life. On September 20 at 7 pm, in an evening event conducted by Pino Strabioli at the Quirino Theater in Rome, the award ceremony of the first edition will be held.
Arianna Mortelliti (left), writer and grandson of Camilleri, together with his sister Alessandra, actress and director. Courtesy Punto e comma office office
Autumn events: from Treccani to Dante Alighieri
The autumn activities will continue with two other important events. The first is scheduled for 8 and 9 October in the Igea room of the Italian Encyclopedia Treccani which will host the international conference “La narrative of Camilleri”, With the participation of some of the greatest scholars of the writer’s work. The second big appointment will take place from 22 October to 29 November, when the Dante Alighieri Company He will set up a great exhibition in the frame of Palazzo Firenze. With the title “Scene, voices, accents, writings: the Infinito theater by Andrea Camilleri”, the exhibition announces itself as a tribute to its multifaceted creativity through its works.
The meeting with Camilleri, between pots and shelves full of stories
I was lucky enough to meet Andrea Camilleri.
I wrote for a neighborhood newspaper that he decided, quite suddenly, as is typical of small editorial realities, to conquer the number of readers by dedicating a space to the great contemporary writers. The reason why they should have given an interview with an unknown newspaper, who put forward exclusively thanks to the advertising of some skimpy supermarket, is still a mystery. The publisher, however, knew very well that he could count on a team of young and motivated aspiring journalists, among whom I was.
Fresh in Rai internships and eager to cross the magical threshold of this fascinating world, I started looking around with curiosity. I knew Corrado Venetian, A multifaceted artist and teacher at the Academy of Dramatic Art Silvio D’Amico. Corrado knew Camilleri well and four and four organized the interview, one of the most beautiful and unexpected of my life.
He welcomed me in his Roman home and we took together in the study, a room full of shelves that overflowed books and history.
Andrea Camilleri in his study. Courtesy Punto e comma office office
Before entering, a deafening trash of pots fell to the ground came from the kitchen. “What will never have happened!” He exclaimed, turning his eyes to the ceiling. His expression was so ironic that I burst, indeed we burst, to laugh. Thus you will dilute the emotion to be in the presence of an absolute genius who, from the depth of his generosity, was giving me hearing.
Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of our meeting, but Imprisoned in the memory I keep the memory of that fragment of time and the phrase with which he took me away: “So much, so good work”. Wherever she is, happy birthday master!