L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2014 www.italoamericano.com L'Italo-Americano 5 Luciano Ligabue: Troubadour for a generation L u c i a n o L i g a b u e , k n o w n internationally by his last name only, and as "Liga" in his home country, is an Italian singer- songwriter, film director, and writer. In Italy he represents the most renowned and credible personification of rock music over the last 25 years. Born in Correggio, in the Italian region of Emilia Romagna, Ligabue premiered as a rock musician at the age of 30. F o r t h e f i r s t t i m e i n h i s tenured music career, he booked a U.S. tour last October, to pro- mote his 10th studio album, Mondovisione, which has been Number 1 on Italy's Albums chart for nine weeks in 2013, and this year. Kicking off at T e r m i n a l 5 , N e w Y o r k , o n October 19th, he also performed at the Whisky a Go Go, in Los Angeles, on October 22nd, at t h e D N A l o u n g e , i n S a n Francisco, on October 24th, b e f o r e l a n d i n g i n M i a m i ' s Grand Central on October 26th. During his U.S. tour, Italian author Emanuela Papini was also stateside. Emanuela hails from Torino, where she works as the Assistant CEO and Stage D i r e c t o r o f t h e o p e r a h o u s e "Teatro Regio". A faithful and rambunctious fan of "Liga" for more than 20 years, she decided to write a book about his fans, a n d t h e s p e c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p between them and his music, as a token of gratitude. As Papini writes in her book, "without you, all these years wouldn't have been the same…your con- certs are pure joy, happiness, lightness". This book is her way o f s a y i n g " T h a n k Y o u " t o Ligabue, and letting him know how important his music has been –and still is – for all his fans. Emanuela wanted to tell the story of her hero from the other side, the side of the people who for more than two decades have been screaming his lyrics back to him from the audience during his performances. E m a n u e l a P a p i n i m e t Luciano Ligabue in 2011, before a concert at the theatre where she works. Having personally experienced the profound effect BIANCA FRIUNDI of his music and lyrics first- hand, Papini steeled herself, presenting him with a letter out- lining her project. He enthusias- tically embraced her proposal, and the year after, on two online fan multimedia channels, they published a letter to all of his fans requesting a personal story that would demonstrate the sig- nificance of his music in their lives. The results were stunning! T h e y r e c e i v e d o v e r 3 0 0 0 e - mails which distinctly showed the immense fondness and grati- tude toward the singer, who is now considered more than that by all of them. Emanuela read all submissions, carefully select- ed a handful, and personally met each and every single "charac- ter" for her book. While writing, she realized that the book was not only a collection of personal experi- ences, but it was becoming a cross sectional study of Italy, made up of all the people who, despite the economic strains and personal struggles, "Hang in There" – or in Italian slang: "Tengono Botta". It is a portion of Italy who never gives up. In Ligabue's music his fans have found comfort and a little bit of magic as well. Generazione Liga is a collection of moving t e s t i m o n i e s t h a t p r o v e t h a t Luciano's songs have become the soundtrack to many of his fans' lives. Emanuela Papini's book was published in March 2014. She decided to follow Ligabue on his U.S. tour, and also came to S a n F r a n c i s c o t o p r e s e n t Generazione Liga. On October 2 3 r d , a t t h e M u s e o I t a l o Americano, she told her audi- ence about the creative process behind her book noting the spe- c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n Luciano Ligabue and "his peo- ple". Papini painted a vivid por- trait of a country hanging at the p r e c i p i c e b u t a n c h o r e d b y a strong and enduring people. Her message to the Italians and Italian Americans who live in the Bay Area is a message of hope: There is a large part of the country that still believes in f i g h t i n g t h e g o o d f i g h t a n d music from troubadours like Ligabue can unite and embolden the people. I n f o : h t t p : / / w w w . l i b r e r i - apino.com/Generazione-Liga- Emanuela-Papini Luciano Ligabue Emanuela Papini

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