The 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, the renowned Italian poet, becomes an occasion to celebrate his work worldwide. The Italian Center for the book and reading (Cepell), in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, the Corriere della Sera Foundation and the magazine “La Lettura” organized Dante in the World, a series of online events that took place from March 21, World Poetry Day, to March 25, the first Dante Day.
The project, a kind of “literary relay”, presented a unique and fascinating exploration of some of the most memorable cantos of Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. These were not simple readings, but dramatic and musical interpretations, monologues, and performances. The Italian Cultural Institute (ICI) in London was one of twelve Institutes worldwide that took part to the project, together with the Institutes in Berlin, Munich, Madrid, Rabat, Tunis, Moscow, Warsaw, Istanbul, Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and San Francisco.
The event organized by the ICI in London was titled Dante@700: A Journey Without End. Actress Greta Scacchi read from the Canto V of the Inferno, then scholar, author and translator Ian Thomson (East Anglia University) talked about Dante, his work and his importance in the Anglophone world. Greta Scacchi read from the Divine Comedy in the English translation by Ciaran Carson, published by Head of Zeus.
