InVerse 2018 Brings Italian Poetry in Translation to JCU

Poetry is alive and well at John Cabot University, as attested by InVerse Italian Poets in Translation, which took place on the evening of October 17, 2018.

Founded in 2005 by JCU professors Brunella Antomarini, Berenice Cocciolillo, and Rosa Filardi, the InVerse festival has become a forum where the Roman community can listen to the variety of voices in contemporary Italian poetry, which is also read in English translation.

From left: poet Luigi Trucillo and translator James Schwarten

“The evening was utterly dynamic, thanks to its format. Brunella Antomarini’s pithy introduction of each poet, followed by the Italian reading from stage left and the English version from stage right created a musical effect, like a duet, but also an echo effect (repetition of meaning), and visual variety,” said Joanna Robinson, a writer and composer who attended the event.

This year’s festival included the presentation of the 2018 edition of the InVerse anthology, published by JCU Press. The InVerse project has led to the publication of seven anthologies, featuring over one hundred poets, from renowned authors who belong to the history of Italian poetry such as Milo De Angelis, Edoardo Albinati, Rosaria Lo Russo, Giovanni Raboni, Silvia Bre, Valerio Magrelli, Andrea Zanzotto, and Maria Luisa Spaziani, to lesser-known poets whose unique voices deserve to be heard. The 2018 anthology is dedicated to the memory of poets Jolanda Insana and Valentino Zeichen.

This year’s featured poets were: Laura Accerboni, Maria Attanasio, Alfonso Benadduce, Dome Bulfaro, Alessandro Ceni, Tommaso Di Dio, Michele Fianco, Umberto Fiori, Gianluca Furnari, Andrea Gibellini, Franco Loi, Gian Ruggero Manzoni, Manuel Micaletto, Gilda Policastro, Laura Pugno, and Luigi Trucillo.

This year’s group of translators are all members of the JCU community and include professors Brunella Antomarini, Tom Bailey, Berenice Cocciolillo, Allison Grimaldi-Donahue, James Schwarten, and Lauren Sunstein; staff member Riccardo Pugliese; and alumnus Antonio Giuliano Gutkowski.

JCU Professors Gina Siddu Pilia and Stefano Arnone also lent their voices as readers this year.

The InVerse audience was treated to a reception catered by Hummustown, a startup launched by JCU alumna Shaza Saker to help Syrian refugees in Rome to make a living.