L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano E u r o p e a n o p e r a m a s t e r - pieces of the 20th century, which had been suppressed by the Third Reich, gathered together in the Recovered Voices project. In addition to his work in LA and Turin, Conlon served also as the M u s i c D i r e c t o r o f t h e Ravinia Festival, the sum- mer home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Cincinnati May Festival, and held positions at the Paris Opera, and the City of Cologne, Germany. Let's continue our explo- r a t i o n o f I t a l y ' s O r d e r o f M e r i t w i t h t h e O f f i c e r (Ufficiale) degree, which is awarded to individuals who have provided noteworthy s e r v i c e i n t h e i r f i e l d s o r communities. This honor is marked by a badge on a rib- bon with a rosette on the c h e s t . N o t a b l e r e c i p i e n t s i n c l u d e F r a n c a R a m e , actress and playwright rec- ognized for her contribu- tions to theater, and Rober- to Benigni. The Knight (Cavaliere) d e g r e e i s t h e e n t r y - l e v e l recipients of the honor, we find Federico Fellini, the iconic filmmaker, and a little surprise, American con- d u c t o r J a m e s C o n l o n , who was awarded in 2016 f o r h i s c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o music and his deep connec- tions with Italian culture. C o n l o n s e r v e d f o r m a n y years as the Principal Con- ductor of the RAI National Symphony Orchestra in Turin and has been long considered a symbol of the strong artistic and cultural connection between Italy and the US. Born in 1950 in New York City, he made his d e b u t w i t h t h e N e w Y o r k Philharmonic in 1974 and has since conducted virtually every major American and European symphony orches- tra. Conlon served in various prominent positions, includ- ing Music Director of the Los Angeles Opera since 2006, where he led more performances than any other conductor in the company's history. His tenure at the LA Opera poignantly marked the rediscovery of a series of honor of the Order, recog- nizing individuals who have shown merit in their profes- sions or valuable service to the nation. Recipients wear the badge on a ribbon on their chest. Prominent recip- i e n t s i n c l u d e G i o r g i o Armani, celebrated for his i n f l u e n c e i n f a s h i o n , t h e already-mentioned Silvio B e r l u s c o n i , a n d s i n g e r Andrea Bocelli, acknowl- edged for his contributions to music. T h e i n v e s t i t u r e c e r e - m o n i e s f o r t h e O r d e r o f Merit are held biannually on June 2nd, the anniversary of the founding of the Repub- lic, and December 27th, the anniversary of the promul- gation of the Italian Consti- tution. In exceptional cases, awards can be granted at any time, especially for foreign dignitaries or individuals who have made extraordi- nary contributions. The design of the badge s y m b o l o f t h e h o n o r h a s evolved since its inception, with its current version dat- ing back to 2001: on the o b v e r s e , i t f e a t u r e s t h e inscription Al Merito della Repubblica (to the merit of the Republic) encircling the national coat of arms; on the reverse, it shows the Latin phrases Patriæ Unitati (for the unity of the country) and Civium Libertati (for the lib- erty of the citizens). As of 2020, there have b e e n a t o t a l o f 1 4 6 , 3 9 0 recipients of the Order of Merit across its six classes, with the distribution being 199 Knight Grand Cross with Collar, 9,178 Knight Grand Cross, 24,830 Grand Officer, 48,184 Commander, 33,442 Officer, and 146,390 Knight. The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic is a presti- gious recognition of signifi- cant contributions to Italian s o c i e t y a n d t h e w o r l d a t large, and it highlights the importance of cultural, artis- t i c , a n d h u m a n i t a r i a n endeavors while celebrating the profound impact of indi- viduals who excel in these a r e a s . B y a w a r d i n g t h i s h o n o r , I t a l y c o n t i n u e s t o encourage and acknowledge excellence, both within its borders and internationally. wear a sash and a star on their chest. Among the most famous Cavalieri di Gran Croce we should mention Luciano Pavarotti, the celebrated opera singer rec- ognized for his contributions t o m u s i c , a n d G i a n n i Agnelli, the former head of Fiat, honored for his impact on the Italian economy. Then, we have the Grand Officer (Grande Ufficiale) degree, which is awarded to individuals who have ren- dered distinguished service in their respective fields. This rank is marked by a badge worn on a neck rib- bon and a star on the chest. Famous recipients include Enzo Ferrari, the founder of the Ferrari automobile company, recognized for his contributions to the auto- motive industry, and author and philosopher Umberto Eco, honored for his literary achievements. The Commander (Com- mendatore) degree recog- nizes considerable merit in professional or societal con- tributions. Here, among the Y o u m a y h a v e heard people in Italy referring to o t h e r s w i t h titles like Cava- l i e r e , C o m m e n d a t o r e , o r even Grande Ufficiale: Silvio Berlusconi, the late divisive former Prime Minister and tycoon, remains perhaps the most famous of all Cavalieri della Repubblica, at least in popular culture. All these titles belong to the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana), Italy's highest- ranking honor. Established on March 3, 1951, by the sec- ond President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi, this prestigious order recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the nation in various fields such as literature, the arts, e c o n o m y , p u b l i c s e r v i c e , social, philanthropic, and humanitarian activities. It is similar to the Presidential M e d a l o f F r e e d o m o r t h e Congressional Gold Medal in the United States. The Order is structured into degrees, each signifying a different level of distinc- tion and achievement. The Knight Grand Cross with Collar (Cavaliere di Gran Croce con Cordone) is the highest, and it is awarded for truly extraordinary contribu- t i o n s : r e c i p i e n t s o f t h i s honor are typically individu- a l s w h o h a v e a c h i e v e d e x c e p t i o n a l a c c o m p l i s h - ments, often heads of state a n d h i g h - r a n k i n g d i g n i - taries. Notable recipients include Queen Elizabeth II, awarded for her signifi- cant contributions to inter- national relations, and King Juan Carlos I of Spain, rec- o g n i z e d f o r h i s e f f o r t s i n strengthening bilateral rela- t i o n s b e t w e e n I t a l y a n d Spain. T h e K n i g h t G r a n d Cross (Cavaliere di Gran Croce), the second degree of the Order, is often conferred upon senior public officials, military officers, and indi- viduals with notable societal contributions; its recipients The OMRI Commander's badge with its ribbon (Photo: ITASVE - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wikicommons) Cavaliere, Cavaliere! Who are you? The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic explained LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE GIULIA FRANCESCHINI

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