October 23rd, 2019 - Stony Brook, New York, USA
Cari Amici di GRADIVA,
It is with great pleasure I write about our winner of the 2019 GRADIVA Poetry Prize: Alba Donati, who was awarded for her book Tu, Paesaggio dell’infanzia (Milano: La Nave di Teseo Editore, 2018). The event was Co-Sponsored by:
GRADIVA INTERNATIONAL POETRY SOCIETY
President: Prof. Luigi Fontanella
CENTER FOR ITALIAN STUDIES
Founder: Prof. Mario B. Mignone
HONORARY PRESIDENT OF THE GRADIVA PRIZE
Dr. Leonard J. Marino, MD.
The ceremony began promptly at 4:00PM with welcoming remarks from Professor Luigi Fontanella, PhD. Harvard, and president of the GRADIVA Poetry Prize, and Dr. Leonard J. Marino, MD. The program continued with a few remarks from Professor Giuseppe Gazzola, Interim Director of the Center for Italian Studies at Stony Brook University. A moment of silence was observed for my dear colleague, Professor Mario B. Mignone, the founder and director of the Center for Italian Studies, who regrettably passed away just a month prior.
There was an Intermezzo performance by pianist Julio Shimund Perez Taku and singer Michael Jackson. The second half of the program included bilingual readings from the Prize Winner, Alba Donati as well as from members of the Selection Jury, Professors Irene Marchegiani and Alessandra Paganardi. This event was recorded by Lorenzo Abbatiello and produced and edited by Dr. Vito De Simone. A complete registration of this program can be found on the bottom of this page.
My sincerest thanks to the Center for Italian Studies administrative staff: Josephine Fusco and Annette Palazzo for organizing the Center to host our prestigious event.
CONGRATULATIONS ALBA DONATI!
Warmest Regards,
Luigi Fontanella, PhD. Harvard University