October 22 at 17,00, the celebration of the of the 100th birthday of Emilio Bianchi will take place in the Sala di Rappresentanza of the Town Council of Viareggio.
Programme
Address of Commissario Prefettizio Dott. Domenico Mannino.
Reading of the message of the President of the Republic
Speaker Prof. Marco Gemignani, Docente di Storia Navale presso l’Accademia Navale di Livorno
Gallery:
Details:
by car A11/12 motorway exit Viareggio.
busses and trains from Lucca
Viareggio Town Council
The Award came about in 1929 under the initiative of Leonida Rèpaci, Carlo Salsa and Alberto Colantuoni. The Versilia, in addition to being a refined, high society summer location, was in that period, a very lively cultural centre which was frequented by writers, actors and painters. In its first years of existence, the event acted as a meeting place for artists in favour of the regime such as Luigi Pirandello, and active antifascists such as the founder, who collaborated in L’Ordine Nuovo and L’Unità.
This event was suspended during the war and started running again in 1946. The year after “Lettere dal carcere” by Antonio Gramsci won the award. This was seen as a very provocative choice and instigated controversy amongst scholars. After the death of Répaci, this event was directed by Natalino Sapegno then consequently by Rosario Villari and Cesare Garboli. Anselmo Bucci with “Il pittore volante” was the first winner in 1930. Important figures from 20th century Italian and Tuscan literature have participated in this event such as Pea, Viani, Saba, Palazzeschi, Morante, Calvino, Moravia, Primo Levi to name but a few. Cesare Garboli, president of the award till his death in april 2004, won the prize with an essay in 1969. Recently young writers as Maggiani and Ammanniti won the prize for the narrative section.