Last Saturday, May 31st, on the first day of a long and propitious weekend for the Republic Day, the Circolo Nautico di Castellammare di Stabia hosted a particularly interesting cultural event.
Alessio Arena, an exponent of the contemporary literary and musical scene, presented his new novel, “Il sesso degli alberi”, fully capturing the public's attention with stories steeped in passion and Neapolitan culture.
The meeting was organized by the Achille Basile Association – Le ali della lettura, an organization that stands out for its ongoing promotion of events aimed at spreading knowledge and sharing stimulating content.
The artistic creativity of Alessio Arena, who has lived between Naples and Spain for twenty years now, seems to be written in his DNA. Son of Gianni La Magna, a well-known musician and historic member of the Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, he felt the call of writing even before intertwining it with music.
His artistic path originated in literary and theatrical production, anticipating musical compositions. The fusion between notes and words, matured over time, further enriched and revealed his extraordinary artistic expressiveness.
The meeting was opened by Avv. Giovanni De Angelis, President of the Circolo Nautico Stabia, with his greeting address. During his speech he underlined how the sports club he represents, historically committed to the promotion of rowing and the training of numerous young athletes, some of whom have become champions, also has at heart the diffusion of culture and literary activities.
“The club has always dedicated its activity, in addition to sports, to the development of culture, tradition, literary events. Culture is the founding element of the commitment to social activities. It allows you to have an introspective function with your own being, with your own self and, in particular, improves social relations.”
Professor Carmen Matarazzo, President of the Achille Basile Association – Le ali della lettura, and journalist Emanuela Francini, introducing the author and moderating the dialogue, carefully explored the many significant aspects of the narrative, offering as many food for thought.
Furthermore, reader Sonia Zurlo has gracefully measured the rhythm and tone of the passages from the book chosen for the public.
The novel tells the story of Matteo, an eleven-year-old boy who lives in a small village in Spain. Son of a musician confined to a wheelchair after an accident, he suffers from the emotional distance of his parents. His father seems to notice him only when he sings with his sweet voice, a unique gift that distinguishes him.
His life goes downhill when his father commits suicide and his mother decides to send him on vacation to his aunts, two eccentric women who live in a decaying building in the heart of the city. But the vacation is just a pretext: Matteo will stay there permanently, finding a new family in the femminielli, key figures in the Neapolitan social context. They will be the ones to guide him in the search for his identity.
Meanwhile, Matteo discovers that he has an extraordinary talent for singing and a unique sensitivity towards trees, which he believes he can understand and even classify according to their sex.
Prompted by the speakers' questions, Alessio Arena highlighted the key points of his novel, but made an important premise: for him, book presentations are an essential tool for getting in touch with the audience that follows him. In this way, he manages to overcome the solitary creative dimension, often influenced by the editorial review process.
“…what is the point of doing a book presentation: I write to have an excuse to meet you, because I am always at home and then it is also an excuse to return to my first country, because I have lived in Spain for almost two decades.[…] it is also important to hear and read your own book because, when you publish it, a book has passed through the editorial sieve”.
The femminiello, a figure of protection and guidance for Matteo, who accompanies him in the discovery of his own body as a blank page on which to write his own story. The fusion between Italian and Neapolitan in Arena's writing, together with the city of Naples, initially hostile to the protagonist, which then becomes part of his adaptation process, were the compelling topics of the continuation of the meeting.
The connection between myth and popular religion, with the reference to the seven protective virgins, further enriched the conversation, which proved engaging and dynamic thanks to the synergy between the speakers and the author's passion and vivacity.
The Sex of Trees, published by Fandango, presents itself as a powerful symbolic tale in which the themes of transformation and identity take shape through an intense and engaging journey. The novel intertwines literature, music and culture in a dynamic fusion, dragging the reader into a universe rich in artistic contaminations and profound suggestions.
Article published on 3 June 2025 - 14:11
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