Famosi in tutta Europa
(Famous throughout Europe)

Judaism.
Complex, profound, private.
Inevitably present even where I am distant from it... •
Discontinuous and indispensable return.

Famosi in tutta Europa
is the after-the-fact title Francesco bestowed on a number of public conversations, held at different times and in different places, on and about Italian Jews. Among music and songs, readings and stories, from an old cook book the aroma of the Artichokes, Jewish style, proudly described as "famous throughout Europe", makes itself felt.

I've also dealt openly with Judaism in
Storie di ordinaria emarginazione
Dalla sabbia dal Tempo
Dybbuk
Note spettinate
concert-conference

with Mara Cantoni   Enrico Fink   Francesco Spagnolo



It's hard

There is only one job nobler than others: to be persons.
Nowadays, harder than ever.

It is hard to be westerners and to watch the rest of the world
   with one's soul at peace.
It is hard to be Europeans when Europe is not yet Europe.
It is hard to be Italian and to feel at ease in one's own country.
It is hard to be Jewish and to feel simply Italian.
It's hard to sustain the right of Palestinians to a state
   without sustaining the right to live of the State of Israel.
It's hard to sustain the contrary.
It is hard to intervene and not be swallowed
   by the too many words of too many people.
It is hard to be silent while listening.
It is hard to be silent and not listen.
It's hard to cancel the utopia that a flag represents
   and it'is hard to march under that flag: the red one.
It's hard to be a layman and to be respected and understood by other laymen.
It's hard to be a layman and not go back to one's prayer book.
It is hard to be a layman and to be respected and understood by believers.
It is hard to separate the present from the past.
It is hard to protect the past from the present
   and to protect the present from itself.
It is hard to be oneself, free.

One spends the night with open eyes.
Not even one's own bed is the place one belongs.

m.c.
april 2002