Bruno Ferraro

Dialoghi. Mt. Eden

We went down the slopes of the crater, slowly and silently: Marina was five months pregnant (for this reason we had reached the mount by car though the distance on foot was not prohibitive) and the sun, it was eleven in the morning, was already heating the atmosphere and silhouetting in the far distance, across the Hauraki Gulf, Rangitoto, the vulcano which, according to Maori tradition, has been asleep for seven hundred years but when will he wake up again? (We all hoped not today). We had already descended the slopes of this mountain when (a few years earlier, in 1995, during the America's Cup regatta held in that Gulf) I thought it would have been a good idea to meet and talk of Dante's Inferno. The group - a few, very eclectic, studying Italian literature - after all, what relevance would Dante have in Aotearoa, the "land of the long white cloud" as the Maori called it? But we were on Mount Eden and how could we ignore the relevance to Dante? However, the students also reminded me that in the syllabus I had also included modern writers, among these Antonio Tabucchi: I had told – with a pinch of vanity – that not only I had known him, had been a guest at his house at Vecchiano (just outside Pisa) but that I had also been present at a number of occasions when his works were remembered and honoured with literary awards. I had followed him to Lucca where another very successful writer, Francesca Duranti, was presenting his works in her very elitist salon litéraire. But, my personal debt to Antonio, was the invitation to follow him to Venice where he received the very prestigious award – in the course of an evening when the outcome of the Supercampiello was in the balance because of other valid contestants. I was sitting next to Giulia Maldifassi, a prominent representative of the Feltrinelli "Ufficio Stampa", and we cheered very loudly when Antonio was announced the winner for the novel which the "Feltrinelli Editrice" had published: Sostiene Pereira. I was, furthermore, elated by the invitation from Inge Feltrinelli to take part in the official dinner given at a prestigious location. But the evening belonged to Antonio and he reasserted that when, on the verge of taking the taxi to his hotel, Antonio – with his winning smile – placed in my hands the prized object which signified his literary supremacy on that occasion, saying: «Please – since I am going on a tour – take it back to Pisa for me and I’ll collect it when I get back. The beautiful box, covered in green velvet, contained a precious work of art which I, proudly, displayed on the mantelpiece in my Pisa apartment until it was time to deliver it to his rightful owner».

In previous seminars - I always liked to call them seminars, because the discussions embraced topics which, at time, departed from the main stream but - to my satisfaction, increased the knowledge of the components of the group: Marina (of Croatian extraction but who had embraced the Maori culture and had married one of the most attractive and open-minded young man I had ever met (he was an electrician), Ruby (I had joked in the past about the origin of her name but she had not come good and so I was left to my own fantasies, some materialized by her presence), Alan - straight forward kiwi in his view of the world and, especially, of rugby - never mention Australian players in his presence.

We all descended to the base of the crater - some of us, Marina and me, panting - but all elated and looking forward to what was on the agenda for the day and - just as important - the menu which, almost traditionally (though this was only the second time we broke conventions and held a class on the slopes of a vulcano) was provided by Marina who managed to blend European taste with that of the antipodes. Time was passing very quickly and in the distance I could see that clouds were rapidly approaching; though I usually like the students to follow their rhythms, I decided that, after lunch, we really had to devote ourselves to the agenda of the day: Antonio Tabucchi's I dialoghi mancati.

It was Marina, the Croatian girl - who obviously, had had no difficulty in reading them in the original -, to start first.
- If I may, I would like to ask about your first meeting with Tabucchi; I remember you saying that he had gone to Melbourne, for a conference on translation but had not managed to reach NZ because his daughter, Teresa, had preferred to visit the Fiji Islands.

- Yes, indeed but out of this "visita mancata" (excuse the pun suggested by the book under scrutiny today) I gained a real visit to Antonio's house where he invited me during one of my many trips to Pisa.

- Is this the time when he welcomed you with a glass of French champagne and you had a barbecue of king prawns prepared by his next-door neighbour?

- What good memory you have Ruby!

- I remember the episode also because it was during that visit which he gifted you a copy of Requiem: the one which you hold so dearly because of his inscription. But, since we are not in the tutorial room, I feel at ease to be curious and ask you also about Teresa: weren't you upset with her?

- I resented her until finally I met her in Italy and discovered what a lovely person she was: there was no resentment on my part and, had there been, it would have been completely dispelled after she offered me her room to stay at Vecchiano (Antonio had inherited this family house from his uncles) where they lived. Antonio, in his very generous attitude, had offered me lodgings because, after all, he was leaving for Portugal, and the house was going to be empty: both Teresa ad his other son, Michele, had plans for the summer. Furthermore, I was told that I could rely on a number of people who took care of the daily duties involved in running the household. As for food, there was the Signora Rita, just next door over the fence and, not too far down the road, the "Favorita" where I had already befriended the owner, Alessandro, and his lovely wife Giulia and had had occasion not just to appreciate their hospitality but also their cuisine and conversation. At first I was reluctant to abandon myself to the care of so many people - but I soon succumbed to their friendly and affectionate attitudes. The dinners offered by Signora Rita took place in the company of her son Massimo with whom I established a friendly and enjoyable relationship; thanks to him I discovered the walks to the "Legnaia" and further to the "Castello" which overlooked Vecchiano. During our many walks I questioned him about the origin of the name for this building - it was not a castle but the view from the top was exhilarating: before us (on the southern side), in the distance, the sea, while at the back a ridge of hills betrayed their use, caves, but one could not avoid embracing, further in the distance, the city of Pisa: the Leaning Tower of Piazza dei Miracoli, an unmistakable landmark.

- Prof., you are not with us. And I also remember that you explained this by showing us a book which you had acquired for this purpose.

- You are right, Ruby: I lost myself in reveries but all of them are associated to the author of today's seminar. And what memories! Yes, the book I have in my study is called Il castello di Santa Maria a Vecchiano, researched by Mario Noferi, a young man very interested in local history and culture; what, however, I did not show you with the book is the postcard of the castello which I keep in a special place because it was sent to me by Tabucchi's mum, Riesa. She was the mid-wife in Vecchiano and half of the population owes to her care the fact that they came into this world; among these Giancarlo, the plumber, who actually went to kindegarten with Antonio and they remained very close friends and, also, eating companions. I was invited to join them once at a restaurant (the "Oliveta", not far from Antonio's house, a place called "Avane", where Antonio was very happy to eat and entertain his friends) and the two of them devoured the biggest beef-stakes I had ever seen!

- Prof., again, you have wandered into your memories: we are not in the very hot month of August in Portugal and not sitting under a tree but here, in New Zealand.

- You are right, but it still summer and, however, I feel that it is time to start proceedings. Marina, I would like you to start the exchange of ideas - as our usual method of tackling a subject. Tell us about the Dialoghi.

- Prof., I feel rather embarassed repeating some the ideas which you, so generously, shared with me but I cannot help it; after all we are here to 'activate' an exchange of ideas and some of my fellow students - given the lack so far of an English translation of this book - could be having difficulties with the original.

- May I, then, suggest, that we alternate, to your reading, some explanatory comments which I can provide so that everyone will benefit from this exercise while enjoying the fresh, open space.

- Well, I was first struck by the author's Nota in which we read that Luigi Pirandello and Fernando Pessoa never actually met or communicated in any way though there could have been a possibility since Pirandello went to Lisbon in 1931 for the premiere of his play Sogno… ma forse no; what an apt play and topic since both authors, in their way and style, devoted themselves to the oneiric and realistic aspects of their characters.

- Of course; but, before, I intervene, I would like to hear more impressions from you.

- Since I also study Art History, I would like to comment on the cover of the book: José João Brito's Cabina telefonica (notte). I became very fond of his "tempere" (this is the Italian term, isn't it?) and, on the advice of my tutor, pursued the research and arrived at what you might really be interested in: Pessoa to whom Brito dedicates, in his book, twenty-three portraits of the Portuguese author who plays such an important part in this dialogue and, really, in all of Tabucchi's production. It suffices here to recall Un baule pieno di gente: such a clever title to introduce Pessoa's use of heteronyms as are called those "alter egos" of the narrating I. But in this first dialogue, Il signor Pirandello è desiderato al telefono, we cannot avoid recalling the Sicilian author's principal themes in his works: since Tabucchi harps on this in various parts, I do not want to talk too much and would like to hear what my fellow students feel about this.

- I am not a theatre man but I am thinking how difficult it must have been to perform on stage such "dialogues": certainly a tour de force for the actor.

- You are quite right Alan; I had the good fortune of being present at the premiere of the second dialogue, Il tempo stringe, in Avignon in 1988 when Claude Aufure gave an extraordinary rendition of the dialogue. A different, but just as vigorous performance, I had the pleasure to attend in Milan, where at the famous "Piccolo", Strehler presented both dialogues. In the second Il tempo stringe Giancarlo Dettori is absolutely engaging in the way that he manages to blend the script with Strehler's direction - which is very faithful to Tabucchi's stage directions: a very Spartan setting, some iconic reminders of where the dialogues are taking place (the second in particular), reminiscent - perhaps to those aware of the history of Italian theatre - of the settings for Marinetti's Sintesi, early in the twentieth century. Tabucchi would have been very aware of the concept of "compenetrazione", that is the way in which the objects on the stage and script would blend to convey the ideas of the author and in turn, those communicated by the actors on stage. Though you say that you are not familiar with theatre as a medium, you have to realise the efficacy of transmitting a series of concepts - which, for lack of a better term, I would call 'philosophical' - through the use of objects with which the public would identify. I do not mean to give now an exposé of the futurist theatre but just a reminder that Marinetti wrote a couple of "sintesi" (this is the term he used for such very brief theatrical pieces) which encapsulate his views and that of the movement to which he belonged: Vengono (where the chairs on stage are the real characters), one of the pieces of the series Dramma d'oggetti; I think the title is self-explanatory, don't you think?

- Allan, - sorry Prof. if I intervene again - if you read the Dialoghi (as I have done diligently) and look at them with the knowledge that we have acquired of Tabucchi's ideas and theatre, you'll fully appreciate how Tabucchi managed to transport on stage a set of ideas and precepts which are fundamental to his way of viewing the world and incorporating his very profound knowledge of Italian and Portuguese literature and history. I'm looking forward to some of the other titles on the reading list: Sostiene Pereira, in particular. I know, Prof., that you have written a scholarly comment to this book which not only had collected all the possible awards and acclaims when it was published in 1994 but it was, subsequently, made into a film with Tabucchi's own participation on the set in Lisbon since he was there and was a friend of the director, Faenza.

- Marina, thank you for such a clear comment. Given the time - and the approaching clouds - I suggest we have now our lunch break and then return to Tabucchis' Dialoghi. Are we all in agreement? Allan?

- Yes, of course; as long as I first have the time to open a couple of cans of beer which - given Marina's propensity to spice her food - would not go amiss.

- Well spoken and very much in tune with Tabucchi's penchant of inserting gastronomical (Potuguese, of course; one has only to think of Requiem which you all enjoyed reading) delights in his works. Tabucchi would have also been delighted that we 'feast' in his honour in the presence of a vulcano; another compelling reminder of Tabucchi's writings on the Azores. But, again, we'll have time for all this after lunch; Marina, please, impress us with what you have brought.

- Not as sumptuous as some of the dishes mentioned in Requiem but, we are at the antipodes, it is summer and the sarrabulho would be very heavy to digest even if 'washed down' by Allan's beer.

- Well then, I am sure that you are all going to agree on my suggestion for a post-prandial walk: excellent for the digestion and for clearing our minds for the afternoon business.

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