On August 13, 2022, we inaugurated the amphitheater of the Emotional Garden. A space we strongly desired, where artistic-cultural performances and weddings could come to life, a secluded place with excellent acoustics, a space with the ambition of gradually becoming a reference point for the community.

This was more or less the inauguration speech:

Good evening everyone. Welcome to La Gualda Vecchia, welcome to the Emotional Garden of the Paths of Feathers. I am extremely excited to be here with you tonight on such a special occasion as the inauguration of the amphitheater. Yes, this is the first event dedicated to art that comes to life here. I hope it is the first of many.

While seeking inspiration for tonight’s speech, I came across a speech by Franco Marini at the inauguration of the Rossetti theater in Vasto, which struck me so much that I chose some excerpts to read to you tonight.

“The culture of a country is, in fact, its primary wealth. Culture understood as that capacity for doing and creating, but also traditions and historical memory, literature as well as artistic and artisanal skills, thought as well as knowledge linked to territories and their customs are the first, the true resources to which a country can, and must, appeal to build its future.

I want to take this opportunity to reiterate how much the promotion of art and the multiplication of opportunities and places for its dissemination contribute to the overall growth of the community.

In our country, there is a widespread belief that knowledge, learning, and culture are something beautiful but not strictly necessary for work and economic development.

The protagonist of economic life is the enterprise. And enterprise means first of all to undertake, to be enterprising, to innovate. And only an agile, sharp, stimulated mind will be able and know how to win the challenge of competition. But to form enterprising citizens, we must create a context rich in stimuli and proposals.”

This space was designed by architect Caterina Angela Contu, as was the rest of the Garden. The idea for the amphitheater was not to alter its original shape. Thus, the tiers where you are sitting today were shaped following the natural contours of the land, to which these corten profiles were added.

The backdrop for the stage is formed by airy blooms of grasses. This is where artistic performances come to life, celebrating human inspiration and creativity.

The top of the tiers is enclosed by a rocky profile of monoliths recovered from the site, representing its identity value. On top of the monoliths, flowerbeds are created where Japanese cherry trees and evocative spring blooms find their home.

This is a brief description of the place. Now I would like to briefly tell you about an episode that deeply affected me. Those of us who were born in a place and then travel a lot end up having what I would call "airy" roots that are difficult to define, locate, or untangle. When I discussed this topic with my psychologist, she told me that the work I would have to do in life was to find my common thread, the one that ties together the narrative of my life. So, when I chose who to name this amphitheater after, the common thread began to pulse. I chose Goliarda Sapienza. Goliarda was born in Catania, where my maternal family is from. Where the view of Etna always stirs something within me. Where I observe how that land profoundly influences those who are born there, who live there. Goliarda is indeed often described as "volcanic." What drove me to choose her was, yes, my visceral love for the Art of Joy, her masterpiece, but in general, her thirst for life and her love for freedom that led her to live fully, I would dare say almost desperately. It is to this impulse that I would like to dedicate this amphitheater. To the thirst for life and freedom.

And since we are talking about a common thread... what better music to celebrate life and freedom than that which arises in revolt against a dictatorship? Yes, because while the '68 movement was happening here in Europe, in Brazil, my country of birth, there was a military dictatorship. That is why I invited Serena Berneschi and Gianluca Grisafi to inaugurate this place. Because together they founded this project called Brazilian Affair, in which they reinterpret wonderful songs of Brazilian popular music, but not only that, they deeply study their meaning, context, and tell us untold stories.

Before concluding, I would like to sincerely thank Giorgio Nocciolini and his staff for accepting my somewhat unusual request to help me with the realization of this evening.

I hope you feel comfortable tonight; please do not hesitate to approach me or the staff for anything. Have a good evening!

The dream we have always had for the Garden is for it to become a place for sharing Beauty, for special moments, a nurturing place for a cultural and artistic crossroads. That is why we have opened visits to the public, and that is why it is possible to rent its spaces to organize events!