Philological Aperitifs: Five Meetings to Explore the Words of the Present

The Philological Aperitifs from the “The Space of the Word” series return with five events, scheduled to take place between 5 February and 12 June at Cantina Bentivoglio (Via Mascarella, 4/B - Bologna) at 6:30 p.m. Curated and conceived by Francesca Florimbii, professor of Philology of Italian Literature at the Department of Classical Philology and Italian Studies at the University of Bologna, this initiative aims to promote thoughtful, meaningful, and ethical language use. In a relaxed and welcoming setting, intellectuals, artists, and professionals will engage in discussions that make this theme accessible to a broader audience, highlighting its relevance in contemporary discourse.

Now in its fourth edition, the series focuses on “The Words of the Present”. This edition builds upon the themes of the previous years: the first edition explored both ancient (Ivano Dionigi) and modern (Paola Italia) philological perspectives, as well as psychoanalytic (Vittorio Lingiardi), biblical (Ludwig Monti), and semiotic (Stefano Bartezzaghi) approaches. The second edition examined the role of words in poetry (Alberto Bertoni), media (Pietro Del Soldà), theatre (Stefano Randisi and Enzo Vetrano), songwriting (Francesco Guccini), and university lectures (Loredana Chines). The third edition focused on the words of the future, addressing change (Alec Ross), diversity (Guido Barbujani), pathways (Lino Guanciale), design (Luciano Floridi), and culture (Nicola Grandi).

The series will open on 5 February with Telmo Pievani, philosopher of evolution, professor at the University of Padua, and writer, who will examine the word “Possibility”.

On 5 March, Enrico Melozzi, acclaimed composer and conductor, will reflect on the word “Reactivity”.

Next, on 16 April, Viola Ardone, high school teacher and author of the bestsellers Il treno dei bambini (2019) and Oliva Denaro (2021), will discuss the word “Happiness”.

On 27 May, the spotlight will be on Mario Cucinella, internationally renowned architect and designer, who will explore the word “Empathy”.

Finally, on 12 June, Giorgio Zanchini, journalist, essayist, and radio and television broadcaster, will share his personal insights on the word “Indecision”.

Admission to all events is free, subject to seat availability. Booking is mandatory and can be made upon collecting the invitation on the following dates, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Cantina Bentivoglio: 29 January (for 5 February), 26 February (for 5 March), 9 April (for 16 April), 20 May (for 27 May), and 5 June (for 12 June).

Entry to the venue (Cantina Bentivoglio) will be allowed from 6 p.m. onwards.