The first summer cultural event in Rome is “Letterature”, an international literature festival that has hosted some of the best Italian and international writers since 2002.
“Letterature” will take place in the eternal city from May the 26th to June the 25th (save these dates: 26-29 May,
4, 5, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25 June), and will gather in a beautiful venue (Basilica di Massenzio at Foro Romano) 16 narrators, 8 poets and 2 scientists, besides a number of spectators, who book 3 stars hotel in Rome every year to immerse themselves in literature. The event formula is unvaried: authors, who have been chosen because of their literary importance or in virtue of the success achieved by their works, will present brand new works inspired by a common theme which has been suggested by the organisers of the event. This year the theme will be “Terra Luna, una infinita risonanza” (“Earth Moon, an endless resonance”), which gives us the possibility to think about the dichotomy ourselves-elsewhere, and which is meant to celebrate a theme that has always inspired scientists, writers and poets, from Galileo to Leopardi and Pirandello.
The festival is meant to look into the different aspects of the dichotomy earth-moon, giving space to all literary genres, from fantasy novels to poetry: literature lovers cannot miss the chance to enjoy a trip to Rome and meet some of the most appreciated Italian and international authors. The festival will kick off with an extraordinary couple: America Andrew Sean Greer, whose novel The Story of a Marriage has been very appreciated both by readers and by critics, and Margaret Mazzantini, one of the most appreciated and awarded contemporary Italian writers (Don’t Move and Venuto al Mondo are only two of her best-known novels). The festival will include also many other interesting events: “Lunar Park, scritture stralunate” will host Edoardo Albinati and Vinicio Capossela, while Swede John Ajvide Lindqvist and Italian fantasy novelist Licia Troisi will participate in the event named “L’ombra della luna, scritture dell’immaginario”. “Il verso della luna” is the name of the evening dedicated to poetry, while “La luna nel pozzo” will host Roberto Piumini, a fairy tales writer, and Andrea Vitali. Space will be given also to legal thriller, with John Grisham, the author that has sold the most during the 90s, and to crime fiction, with Swede Bjorn Larsson and American Matthew Pearl. Petros Markaris, Antonio Muñoz Molina and Ermanno Cavazioni too will take part in the event, while the physicist Carlo Rovelli and the geologist Mario Tozzi will close the festival dealing with the theme “Earth Moon” from a scientific point of view.
“Letterature” is a festival where authors read out passages of their own works, and where words and other expression means mix together: different kinds of music played by djs and bands (like Giardini di Mirò, Luna Riverse, Port Royal) will accompany the readings, and every meeting will be introduced by a trailer made up of images and music. However, the focus will always be on the main feature of the festival, i.e. on words, in particular words in tales and poetry, to highlight their importance not only as expression means, but also as matter to be moulded into art. Book now an apartment in Rome.
Tickets: free event
Date: 26th May – 25th June 2009
Location: Basilica di Massenzio, Rome, Italy
