L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 4 MARIELLA RADAELLI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS The virus hits — Italy answers with Beauty and Unity A s k i n g i m p a s - sioned, creative I t a l y t o s t a y i n a c t i v e h a s proven to be an enormous request from gov- ernment leaders. The land that brought the world cre- a t i v e g e n i u s e s s u c h a s L e o n a r d o , M i c h e l a n g e l o , Dante, Verdi – and so many other names it would fill the page – does not usually glo- r i f y q u i e t , i s o l a t i o n a n d reserve. Y e t t h e s e a r e s t r a n g e and special times. Even the Italians are adapting to s t a y i n g i n s i d e , f o r e g o i n g their love of the out of doors, a fine meal al fresco and the t r a d i t i o n a l p r o m e n a d e through city piazzas across the nation. Today the coro- navirus quarantine has turned it into a resplendent prison. For now, like an increas- i n g l y l a r g e s w a t h o f t h e world, Italians are staying indoors and practicing social distancing. But that doesn't mean they have gone silent. True to their heritage and character, they have found creative outlets and expres- sions even in a lockdown. E v e n i n v i b r a n t I t a l y , Naples is known for it its colorful character. As the energetic locals were forced indoors by the coronavirus, in mid-March apartment residents outside on their individual balconies sponta- neously broke into song. It triggered a flash mob across the country as others sang and played music. The new, intimate grassroots theatre was repeated other days, combining the fierceness of t h e n a t i o n a l a n t h e m Fratelli d'Italia with pop songs, or opera arias with partisan folk songs and even h e a v y m e t a l h i t s . " T h e I t a l i a n s a r e v e r y g o o d a t singing and very good at b a l c o n i e s , b u t w h e n y o u blend the two, it is magical," wrote the Guardian. Unfortunately, we can't say music is the pill to abol- ish the coronavirus. It is, however, an extraordinary medium for connecting with others, especially in these t r a u m a t i c d a y s w h e n Italians instinctually chan- n e l t h e i r i n n a t e s e n s e o f beauty to help relieve anxi- e t y a n d d e c r e a s e p a i n . Though they are known to be a bit hypochondriac, they don't bother the family doc- tor with minor nuisances any longer. Today, they just do it themselves without overreacting to things like the mysterious Italian afflic- tion cervicale (known as simply neck pain in the rest of the world). The cool thing to do is give vent to creativi- ty and abundant imagina- tion in the attempt to feel reborn every morning even after a night of vivid night- mares. In condos, people play tunes on a keyboard or gui- tar, sing their favorite songs or chant in different tones. There are those who prefer playing the violin such as M i r k o a n d V a l e r i o , t w o S i c i l i a n t e e n a g e r s w h o s e Coldplay cover Viva La Vida went viral on Instagram. Their performance was so i n t e n s e t h a t t h e B r i t i s h band itself endorsed their talent. Last night, beneath our apartment, an entire family was singing along with a series of classic Neapolitan songs. They sang real loud and sounded a bit off-key, but we did not complain. It must have been liberating f o r t h e m t o s c r e a m t h e i r head off like that. Such is the power of music, but all songs aren't created equal. They started from the iconic O' Sole Mio recelebrated by Luciano Pavarotti: "Che bella cosa na jurnata 'e sole / N'aria serena dopo na tempesta… " (What a wonderful thing is a day of sun/ a serene air a f t e r a s t o r m … ) a n d t w o hours later they finished up w i t h R o b e r t o M u r o l o ' s Cu'mme, a sorrowful song that goes: Ah comme se fa' A da' turmiento all'anema Ca vo' vula'/ Si tu nun scin- n e a f f o n n e / N u n o p u o ' s a p e ' / N o c o m e s e e f a ' / A d d a p i g l i a ' s u l t a n t o / o mare che ce sta'...(Oh how is it possible to give torment to a soul that wants to fly?/ If you don't touch the bot- t o m , y o u c a n n o t u n d e r - stand/ How is it possible/ You must perceive the depth of the Sea, please look at it). T h o u g h i t h a s l o s t i t s p o s i t i o n a s a n e c o n o m i c powerhouse, Italy remains a c u l t u r a l s u p e r p o w e r . The vast heritage is a core component of the country's economy, generating some 270 billion euros a year, a great loss with the entire culture sector (museums, art galleries, opera houses, theatres, movie theatres, and other creative indus- t r i e s ) c l o s e d d o w n t h e s e days. Italians miss going to the theatre. So they do it them- selves through home videos. Some families have turned their homes into an inti- mate ballroom where their b o d y l a n g u a g e e n h a n c e s their attitude of wonder. A family transformed their liv- ing room into a beach resort they enter only in a swim- suit or bikini. The kitchen of Italy's cities look empty nowadays (Photo: Dreamstime) Continued to page 6

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