Lamezia Terme, Calabria, the whole of the South, in fact, which today more than ever is called to a redefinition of its own identity, are finally reappropriating the poet Franco Costabilefor too long forgotten or relegated to the margins of a “secondary”, subordinate poetic expression. Instead, thanks to the numerous initiatives that have already started months ago in Lamezia (and not only) on the occasion of the centenary of his birth, Franco Costabile is once again making new generations talk about him, also with the most up-to-date languages that the Calabrian artistic and literary panorama can offer. And his poetry, known above all for the more melancholic traits of those themes of a whole world that – perhaps – no longer exists (emigration, poverty, the oppression of local powers) is rediscovering itself as more complex than it seemed, and perhaps the very label of “neorealist poetry” is no longer enough for him.
His relationship with Giuseppe Ungaretti is famous – but in reality in contact, especially in Rome, with the most important literary circles of the Sixties –, Franco Costabile was born on August 27, 1924 in Sambiase and died in the capital, a suicide, in 1965. He was best known for the collection «La rosa nel vetro», published in 1961 by Canesi. But until a few months ago it was still not easy to reread his poems: this is why the new edition by Rubbettino – «La rosa nel vetro. Tutte le poesie» – has recovered a long editorial thread interrupted for too long and, although a critical edition is still missing, the introduction by Aldo Nove and the editing of the dispersed poems by Giovanni Mazzei allow for an adequate placement of the poet in his historical and literary context.
Mazzei himself, among other things, has already been promoting, since the end of 2023, together with numerous other entities in the Lamezia area and Calabria, the Committee for the celebrations of the centenary of Franco Costabile, which has already seen, and continues to see, dozens and dozens of initiatives including readings, seminars, film screenings, and artistic installations. The poet, for example, was also remembered during the Trame Festival, for the more “civil” inspiration of his poetry; at the Invasioni festival in Cosenza, the historic show by the late Antonello Antonante, «Una rosa ancora rossa», inspired by the life and works of Costabile, was revived; a documentary exhibition, with his literary production, correspondence and rare materials recovered, will start at the end of August in the Lametina municipal library, curated by Antonio Vescio and the Center for documentation and studies on Lamezia and the Lamezia district; also in Lamezia, the event on August 27, the day of the poet’s birth, is expected; at the Sila Art and Forest Museum, again, the photographic exhibition by Mario Giacomelli, “Camera oscura”, with 25 shots from the series “Il canto dei nuove emigranti”, a composition by the poet for whom the famous photographer created the exciting photographic work, and finally some artistic residences.
Therefore, many events continue to take place in the centenary yearand again, in the midst of summer, other initiatives on the poet are expected in the context of the numerous festivals and summer events that enliven the villages and towns of the entire region.