Dante - The Divine Comedy Italian Cultural Garden - Cleveland, OH September 18, 2011
What better place to hear readings from and discussion about the classic Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri than the Italian Cultural Garden?
Marco Nobili, Italian Consul in Detroit, welcomed the crowd and spoke about Dante, the Father of the Italian Language.
Marco Nobili
Next, Francesca Mignosa talked about the life and influence of Dante Alighieri.
Francesca Mignosa
Honorary Vice Consul Serena Scaiola introduced Dr. Paola Basile and Sculptor Sandro Bonaiuto. Dr. Paola Basile is an Associate Professor of Italian and French Studies at Lake Erie College. Sandro Bonaiuto is an internationally acclaimed sculptor born in Cleveland Ohio of Italian parents.
Dr Serena Scaiola
Dr. Basile started with an overview of Inferno and then the first Canto.
Dr. Paola Basile
Then Dr. Paola Basile read part of the First Canto of Dante's The Divine Comedy in Italian and Sculptor Sandro Bonaiuto read it in English.
Sandro Bonaiuto and Paola Basile
Then Dr. Basile discussed the 26th canto of Dante's The Divine Comedy also known as the Ulysses or Odysseus canto. She tells how an Auschwitz prisoner used this canto to survive in prison.
Dr. Basile read part of the 26th canto of Dante's The Divine Comedy in Italian and Sandro Bonaiuto read it in English.
Next Dr. Basile explained Purgatorio.
They then they read part of Purgatorio in Italian and English.
Dr. Paola Basile explained the last (33rd) canto of Paradiso from Dante's The Divine Comedy.
Then Dr. Basile read the end of Paradiso in Italian and Sandro Bonaiuto read it in English.
The audience had questions such as Why Inferno is the most popular, How the language changes, What was the relationship with Boniface 8, Dante's romance and exile.
Congratulations to the event planners and to the two talented scholars who presented.
Paola Basile and Sandro Bonaiuto
Marco Nobili and Serena Scaiola
Francesca Mignosa, Sandro Bonaiuto and Paola Basile
