La Ginestra honors Leopardi's excellence: Recanati's CNSL honors in Torre del Greco

The 19th edition of the La Ginestra National Literary Leopardi Prize concluded in Torre del Greco, one of the symbolic sites of Leopardi's memory on the slopes of Vesuvius. The ceremony, held on Monday, September 14, 2026, at Villa delle Ginestre, saw the unanimous awarding of the prestigious prize to the National Center for Leopardi Studies (CNSL) in Recanati, a leading national institution for research and dissemination of Giacomo Leopardi's work.

The event took place inside the Teatro di Verzura of the Vesuvian residence, a setting that preserves the inspiring atmosphere of Leopardi's poems and draws visitors, scholars, and enthusiasts in a dialogue between writing, memory, and landscape. The organization is the result of a synergy between the Rotary Club Torre del Greco and the Vesuvian Municipalities, the Fondazione Ente Ville Vesuviane, and the University of Naples Federico II, highlighting a network of public and academic entities committed to the cultural development of the area.

The evening, hosted by journalist Donatella Trotta, intertwined poetry readings and a musical backdrop to support the words. Fabio Cocifoglia led the readings, which interacted with the rhythmic sounds of a string and double bass quartet inspired by the works of Gioachino Rossini. Two violins, Riccardo Zamuner and Alberto Marano, Raffaele Rigliari on cello, and Gianluigi Pennino on double bass alternated on stage, with the curatorial contribution of maestro Giovanni Oliva, who provided an introduction and artistic direction.

When accepting the award, Fabio Corvatta, president of the CNSL, expressed emotion and a sense of continuity with local history: "I have known this place for forty years, and Leopardi's human and poetic presence is here, in the shadow of Vesuvius and facing the sea and the magnificent sunset of this place." The award, in addition to celebrating the Recanati institution, is seen as a bridge between Leopardi's legacy and the cultural reality of a region that calls him to mind in the present.

The celebratory roundtable discussion also featured prominent academic figures. The new rector of the Federico II University of Naples, Andrea Mazzucchi, emphasized how the ceremony connects the "signs of Giacomo Leopardi's life" between Recanati and Torre del Greco, reconnecting the poet to the land of Naples, Mount Vesuvius, the landscape, and the urban context of the city. His remarks emphasized the institution led by Mazzucchi's longstanding commitment to celebrating Leopardi not only as an author but as a human experience.

Gennaro Miranda, president of the Fondazione Ente Ville Vesuviane, also praised the commitment to restoring and enhancing the villas of the Golden Mile: "The recent restoration of the Villa delle Ginestre restores to a significant part of our architectural heritage a function as a reference for our identity, poetry, and Europe." His remarks emphasized how these places can become laboratories for cultural reflection not only for Italy but also for the Mediterranean and European context.

The CNSL, founded in 1937, has as its mission the promotion of studies and research on Leopardi's life and works. In its nearly ninety-year history, the institution has achieved results through international conferences, the dissemination of translations, and the development of Leopardi chairs at leading Italian and European universities. Among its new cultural frontiers, the Leopardi Digital Library and the conservation restoration projects that have restored the entire complex on the Hill of Infinity to its original appearance stand out.

The Torre del Greco ceremony thus highlighted not only the academic excellence of the CNSL, but also the ability of Leopardi culture to engage with the surrounding territories. For Leopardi followers and poetry lovers, La Ginestra continues to be a point of contact between places, people, and artistic practices capable of keeping the memory alive and stimulating new readings of Leopardi's works in the dynamic Campania region, nestled between the sea, history, and urban landscape.