The Civic Library of Riva del Garda is dedicating a two-part series to poet Giovanni Giudici on the centenary of his birth. The two events will be led by Francesco Valese.
Giovanni Giudici (1924-2011) was one of the main protagonists of 20th-century poetry. During that period, known as the “axial period,” Italian poetry regained a prominent role thanks to figures like Montale, Sereni, Caproni, Luzi, Zanzotto, Bertolucci, Fortini, and Pasolini.
In addition to his poetic activity, Giudici also dedicated himself to prose, reflecting on his biographical and poetic experiences and engaging with the main political and literary themes of the time. During that period, politics and literature were closely intertwined.
The program of the series includes two events:
– Saturday, April 6th at 5 pm: “Put Life into Verse”: Giudici as a poet
– Saturday, April 13th at 5 pm: “The Prose of Life”: Giudici as a journalist, critic, and intellectual
Admission to the events is free.
Giovanni Giudici was born on June 26, 1924, in Le Grazie (La Spezia). After obtaining a degree in Literature in Rome, he worked as a professional journalist. In 1956, he was hired by Olivetti in Ivrea to lead the weekly magazine “Comunità di fabbrica” (Factory Community). He later worked as a copywriter in the Advertising and Printing Department at the Olivetti headquarters in Milan.
His first collection of poems, “Fiorì d’improvviso. La vita in versi” (Suddenly Blossomed. Life in Verse), published in 1953 and reprinted in 1965, caught the attention of readers and critics. In the following years, he published numerous poetry collections, including “Autobiologia” (1969), “O beatrice” (1972), “Il male dei creditori” (1977), and “Il ristorante dei morti” (1981).
Giovanni Giudici passed away on May 24, 2011, in La Spezia.
For more information about the series and the Civic Library of Riva del Garda, you can visit the website of the Municipality of Riva del Garda. Here you can find more details.
