We have lost the habit. To stop and reflect. To feel the things of the world. To feel part of the things of the world. To take action to change something. To try, at least. We have also lost the habit of listening to author’s music. That kind of committed music that follows the destiny of guttacavatlapidem. Which shakes the conscience. Which awakens us from the daily rhythms. Those who risk making us insensitive even to tragedies such as war, femicide… Vinicio Capossela is a singer-songwriter. Attentive, ingenious, scrupulous, philologist. He feels that social responsibility which is a creative impulse for the artist. And while the shop windows at the beginning of autumn are colored with Christmas reds, fir trees, white-haired and stuffed Santa Clauses with jute sacks, and best of and greatest hits songs praising Christmas, here is «Thirteen urgent songs» (Tenco prize for best album). We don’t want to sanctify anyone, for goodness sake. Because the good Vinicio, we were informed, had prepared his gift for the holidays, only to then realize that freedom is action and responsibility, change direction and take out a record from who knows which of his beloved headdresses. Actually no, better, a tour of a lot of Italy, of 30 cities. And without even getting to the point of talking about the beautiful and urgent 13 songs, we will mention them with him, here is another wonder, the title of the tour «With the keys we have – Thirteen urgent songs in the theater». Yes, because the meaning of his work lies entirely in this title. It is an invitation that regardless of the merit of the topics addressed.
«When keys are missing from the piano you have to look for melodies with those that are left – says Capossela –. Our concert would like to be an invitation to do with what you have, to make limits a possibility and above all not to be afraid of making mistakes.”
Thirteen urgent songs… this urgency conveys a great desire to commit, not to remain impassive, not to get used to the tragedies to which the world, we seem to have become accustomed…
«When you try to gain awareness of sad, painful things, these must then also be denounced in some way, first and foremost by your own conscience. And it’s not just for the sake of demolishing. And it’s not just to say “well that’s how it is and we’re terrible”. But it is also, above all, to indicate where the error lies in order to try to improve, to move forward. Often the problems are not addressed, for example, by politics, and remain. Often they also have a front that starts from us, from our unconscious.”
I heard you talk about war, there are many scattered around the world. The war is never over. Which spreads terror, death, victims…
«The first victim of every war is innocence. Because when a conflict is taking place, all reasons immediately disappear. We must necessarily conform to something profoundly abstract, to a concept which by its nature cannot accommodate a reason, which is only one and which is that. At that point one becomes defeatist or pacifist. In short, one is forcibly conscripted, into that army or that other. And the truth becomes the second victim after innocence because in that situation there is no longer the possibility of reasoning!”.
«History renews the old lesson, imagination is in power»… «With the keys we have» can we go back to regain our freedom, go back to using our imagination too?
«As a child I had a great desire to own an instrument with keys and, not having one, I drew the keys on a wooden board and wrote imaginary things on them. Music – like life in general – is first imagined and then experienced. And in imagining something there is also a desire that you then try to realize in concrete terms. Imagining things can be revolutionary because only by imagining them can we then try to adapt them to reality. However, you have to have the keys and when you don’t have all of them at your disposal, when things break and fall apart, as is happening today, then you have to get busy with what’s there and acquire awareness of a limit, and of this limit being able to give it a chance. Just being aware of the limit is an important step, especially in this society that often pushes for “No Limits”. Of course, we must dream big, but be aware of who we are and what we can do. It is important to take care of desires, which are truly ours and not induced. Because desires can be the cause of frustration and dissatisfaction.”
You are on tour in theaters throughout Italy. 30 dates. 30 cities. Will it be enough to shake consciences? Do you think that author’s music, like cinema and every other form of art, can provoke – as in the past – some reaction, or at least provoke some reflection?
«I believe in song as a form of thought that can add emotion to words through music. It is not capable of changing the world but it can be a vehicle for something. It can add awareness, beauty, ugliness, irony. I believe that everything lies a bit in the sincerity, in the truth that we try to put inside. It’s not capable of changing the world, but at least what I can do is try to pass the bucket because in the meantime this is music: trying to pass the bucket without holding it back, as if it were a long human chain. And perhaps try to be an opportunity to let ideas, verses, even from other music, circulate, but specifically for this album to bring out slightly different awarenesses that in my opinion are imposing themselves, right now.”
Vinicio Capossela will be at the Politeama theater in Catanzaro tomorrow at 9pm, thanks to the commitment of the omnipresent Pino Citrigno and his «L’altro Teatro», always close to prestigious cultural events with top-notch national and international artists. Capossela will then be at the Teatro Duemila in Ragusa on Saturday, on Sunday at the Bellini in Catania and on Monday at the Golden in Palermo.