Trieste After America: A Hilarious Reflection on a Crucial Moment in History!
Let’s take a trip down memory lane, shall we? But don’t worry, I promise it’ll be more entertaining than a usual family gathering! We’re diving into the “1954 – Trieste after America” project, an initiative that celebrates the city’s post-war glory days when Trieste threw a welcome party for its return to Italy after spending years under American administration. Seems like Trieste’ really knows how to throw a bash!
A Cultural Rollercoaster
This celebration, spearheaded by the Circle of Culture and the Arts, does more than just nod respectfully to the past – it throws open the curtains and lets a full-on cabaret of concerts, film screenings, and photographic exhibitions flood the stage! And trust me, the organizers have enlisted support faster than a politician at an opinion poll push, with the help of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Casali Foundations. Seriously, if this gig gets any more star-studded, they’ll need the security detail from the Oscars!
Cinema: Lights, Camera, Trieste!
The project kicks off with a film review that explores the delightful relationship between Trieste and America. When films like “Our American Days” (2014) and “The Girls of Trieste” (2008) are on the lineup, you can bet your last espresso that the stories being told are about more than just sipping cappuccinos. They dig into the fabric of life during the American occupation – you know, like the time Jimmy walked into a pub with less punchlines than a kid’s birthday party!
Swing into the Past
As we shimmy through the program, we’ll hear the delightful sounds of Les Babettes making jazz great again! Their show “Swingin’… or nothing” promises to be so good that even the ghosts of jazz greats might be swaying in their graves! When you get three voices harmonizing over a full-on ensemble, it’s not just music; it’s a time machine that will transport you to an era where the swinging wasn’t just for dancers but for an entire city! Oh, to be swept away on a jazz cloud – or just swept off your feet completely!
Through the Lens of History
And then there’s the photographic exhibition showcasing Ugo Borsatti’s famous “Kiss”. It captures that oh-so-sweet moment of connection between an American soldier and a local woman. Spoiler alert: It’s said to be the only kiss that made people shed tears more than a well-timed commercial! This snapshot is serious stuff; it symbolizes a connection that transcends borders – talk about romantic, eh?
Wise Words at the Round Table
For those who like their caffeine served hot and their discussions even hotter, the round table event, “1954: Trieste after America,” is the place to be. Scholars will duke it out over how those heady days influenced Trieste’s art, literature, and economy. Raoul Pupo will bring the nostalgia, while Maria Cristina Benussi promises a deep dive into the emergence of vibrant literature. It’s intellectual sparring at its best – no helmets required!
A Cornucopia of Events Until December!
The “1954 – Trieste after America” project sprawls out until December, full of events that tickle both the brain and the heart. From slick spy stories to riveting documentaries, if you’re not careful, you might find yourself learning more than during a Zoom call with your most boring uncle! There’s even a double feature of spy flicks filmed during the Anglo-American rule of Trieste. Get your popcorn ready – it’s cinematic espionage at its finest!
Final Thoughts: Time to Celebrate!
So there you have it! A fascinating dive into a pivotal era woven together by art, music, and film that will leave even the casual observer with a newfound appreciation for Trieste! It’s a chance for locals and visitors alike to rediscover a city that’s more than just a pretty face – it’s a culturally rich tapestry stitched together by diverse influences. And hey, the only thing that should be left behind is the stale breadsticks while you’re munching on a feast of history and creativity!
Mark your calendars, clear your schedules, and prepare to be whisked back in time – just don’t forget to bring your sense of humor and wide-open heart!
A return to the past, to remember a crucial moment in the history of Trieste. The “1954 – Trieste after America” projectorganized by Circle of Culture and the Artscelebrates the seventy-year anniversary of the city’s return to Italy, telling how the years of Anglo-American administration (1945-1954) profoundly influenced the cultural, artistic and economic life of the city.
The initiative, which relies on the support of the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia and the Casali Foundations, offers a series of events open to the public, including concerts, film screenings and a photographic exhibition, with the aim of reliving that period through cinema, music and words.
Cinema and documentaries to tell the American influence
The project opens with a film review which explores the relationship between Trieste and America. Among the most anticipated screenings are the documentaries “Our American Days” (2014) and “The Girls of Trieste” (2008), directed by Chiara Barbo and Andrea Magnani. Through archive images and interviews, these films reconstruct the impact that the Anglo-American government had on the city, with particular attention to the young people of the time and the women from Trieste who emigrated to the United States.
Another unmissable cinematic moment will be the screening of the restored film “The Bell of San Giusto” (1954), directed by Ruggero Maccari, which tells the historical transition of Trieste from the American government to the Italian annexation.
Music: a bridge between past and present
The music will be another protagonist of this journey into the past. The swing trio Les Babettes will perform in a show entitled “Swingin’… or nothing”, bringing the audience to relive the atmosphere of post-war jazz. The voices of Eleonora Lana, Chiara Gelmini and Anna De Giovanni, together with an ensemble of talented musicians, will offer a repertoire that mixes swing and jazz, genres that had great resonance in Trieste, precisely during the Anglo-American government.
Next, the Jazz Orchestra of the Tartini Conservatory will hold a concert in the prestigious Sala Tartini, an unmissable opportunity for lovers of jazz and live music.
Photography and memory: Borsatti’s “Kiss”.
The Kiss – Ugo Borsatti
One of the most exciting events will be the photographic exhibition organized by the Circolo della Cultura e delle Arti. Among the shots on display, the famous photo of “Kiss” by Ugo Borsattiwhich immortalizes the emotional greeting between an American soldier and a young woman from Trieste. The exhibition represents an important visual testimony of the period, capturing the most significant moments of an era that changed the face of the city.
Round table: a reflection on the past
Another highlight of the project will be the round table entitled “1954: Trieste after America. Between a reference to tradition and a drive for innovation”, which will be held in the Ridotto of the Verdi Theatre. Illustrious scholars such as Raoul Pupo and Maria Cristina Benussi will discuss the cultural and social legacy left by the Anglo-American government, analyzing how these years influenced the art, literature and economy of Trieste.
Raoul Pupo will explore the feeling of enthusiasm that accompanied the return of Trieste to Italy, while Maria Cristina Benussi will focus on the rebirth of Trieste literature, which in those years was enriched with new voices, such as those of Boris Pahor and Claudio Magris.
A program full of events
The project “1954 – Trieste after America” offers a rich program of eventswhich will extend until December, with film screenings, documentaries and conferences. Among the works in the programme, there will also be two spy stories filmed in Trieste during the period of the Anglo-American government, including “Diplomatic Corriere” (1952) by Henry Hathaway and “Sleeping Car for Trieste” (1948).
The initiative aims to be an opportunity to reflect on a crucial period in the city’s history, told through art, music and cinema. An opportunity for the citizens of Trieste, but also for visitors, to discover a lesser-known face of the city, marked by the meeting of cultures and its extraordinary capacity for transformation
