8000 spectators attended concerts and talks with academics, journalists and experts in new technologies, including Gino Castaldo, Umberto Curi, Domenico Iannacone, Pietro del Soldà, Antonio Gnoli. From 12 to 15 October, on stage Carmen Consoli, Marina Rei, Daniele Silvestri, BigMama, La Maschera. Contemporary theatre also on stage
A serious and light-hearted festival, self-deprecating as the title suggests, which has managed to conquer an audience of at least three generations of music and philosophy enthusiasts. Sing with Kant. Dialogues, sounds, visions animated the Irno urban park and the “Antonio Ghirelli” theatre in Salerno from 12 to 15 October.
5000 attendees at the concerts of Carmen Consoli feat. Marina Rei, Daniele Silvestri, BigMama and La Maschera. 2500 spectators at the philosophical talks held by twenty-three academics, journalists and experts in new technologies, including Gino Castaldo, Umberto Curi, Domenico Iannacone, Pietro del Soldà, Antonio Gnoli, Nello Cristianini. A total of 24 free events attended and actively participated in by mainly high school students from Campania (Telese, Grottaminarda, Pompei, Acerra, Aversa, Pomigliano, Salerno, among others), the natural recipients of a project with an absolutely original formula. These are the numbers of the first edition of Canta con Kant, which achieved the goal of bringing philosophy out of the academy and, on social media, 1 million people.
Planned and financed by the Campania Region (funds from the Campania Region and the Department for Youth Policies and Universal Civil Service) through Scabec and with the artistic direction of Stefano Piccolo, the festival offered the public many food for thought through its philosophical talks. From the myth of Achilles with Matteo Nucci and Valentina Carnelutti, to that of Paestum with Tiziana D'Angelo and Giuseppe Gaeta. From gender violence with an activist like Carlotta Vagnoli, to the role of the marginalized in an interconnected world seen through the eyes of Domenico Iannacone. And again the emotions between philosophy and literature with Pietro del Soldà and Ilaria Gaspari, artificial intelligence according to Nello Cristianini, Adolfo Fattori and Alfredo Troiano, the body and new technologies according to Francesco Paolo Adorno. The journey between words and music by Gino Castaldo, freedom told by Emidio Spinelli, Clementina Cantillo and Massimiliano Valerii. Coming of Age explained by Umberto Curi, the academy of Kant's writings illustrated by Riccardo Pozzo, the secrets of a dialogue revealed by Antonio Gnoli. The meetings were introduced and moderated by the members of the festival's scientific committee, professors Gennaro Carillo, Francesco Colace, Fabrizio Lomonaco, Annamaria Sapienza.
Gianni Simioli instead conducted an Agora with the protagonists of the evening concerts, in which Carmen Consoli, Marina Rei, Daniele Silvestri and BigMama revealed anecdotes, memories, reflections giving life to amusing (and sometimes embarrassing) interactions with the public, inspired by the fun campaign launched on social media that combined Kantian quotes with those of singer-songwriters - "Act in such a way as to consider humanity / confused and happy" (Kant/Consoli); "Everyone can seek their happiness / sitting on the edge of a volcano" (Kant/Silvestri).
And finally the theater. The dialogue between music and philosophy was joined by the theater, with shows with Rosario Diana and Rosalba Quindici, Cristiana Minasi and Giuseppe Carullo, and the Putéca-Celidònia company. And a theater workshop of 14 hours divided into four days by Ablativo.
Salerno responded enthusiastically, with sold-out events and concerts experienced in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, where even children could play and have fun. Young people embraced philosophical themes with the strength of a theatrical text and the lightness of a pop song, and the people of Salerno embraced a city space that works, and well, as a place of aggregation and sharing.
“I thank the city of Salerno for the welcome it has given us. It is a traveling project that we want to extend to the whole of Campania – declared the sole director of Scabec Pantaleone Annunziata –. We have tried to reawaken the wonder of young people towards philosophy and we are satisfied with the response in terms of attendance that we have had in this edition. Happy above all for the involvement of the schools that has allowed us to achieve our goal: to take philosophy out of the academy and bring it ever closer to the students.”
Sing with Kant. Dialogues, sounds, visions is part of “Youth and musical culture”, the project of the Campania Region that aims to support youth creativity also through the Filosofiadi, the “philosophy Olympics” dedicated to high schools, and the publication – by the end of the year – of the call for proposals “The Campania Region for young people” to support specific projects of Campania cultural institutions.
Article published on 16 October 2023 - 18:28
