Foreword

Written by  Alfredo Santini
Treading, listening, musing on the Voices of a city is revealing for those of our readers who wish to delve into the past and present of Ferrara. Among the key moments in the history of Ferrara, most attention has hitherto been focused on its most glorious period, that of the Este civilisation.

 

But Ferrara did not come to a stop at that moment in history and, albeit in a different way and deploying different resources, it has succeeded in maintaining its cultural importance, as can be seen in the article on seventeenth and eighteenth century sculpture, or in the important contribution on the recovery of Cardinal Riminaldi's collection now exhibited in the Palazzo Bonacossi.

 

A story full of future significance is that of the Land Reclamation Consortium which focuses on the restoration of an agricultural civilisation immortalised by Bacchelli's great book, described in turn by Silvia Poletti in her account of the renovation of the mill which served as the setting for Il Mulino del Po; or the history of the fires used in the traditional fish smoking plant at Comacchio.

 

However, contemporary history takes the stage in this issue: an anthology of women poets writing in Italian and in dialect about the city; a particularly interesting comparison of the exhibitions held in Ferrara in 1933 2003; and a fascinating glimpse of Ferruccio De Lupis' great publishing endeavour.

 

The contemporary Renaissance of Ferrara concludes in this issue, so different from others, with well-earned tribute to Gabriele Corbo, the conscience of publishing in Ferrara, and a review of some recent works by Ferrara writers, who are upholding the great literary traditions of the city.

 

The shareholders' meeting and the steering committee have rightly and unanimously confirmed the reappointment of the Chairman and the Vice Chairman. This is a response to the exceptional results obtained by the Foundation, accompanied by a refinement of its operational procedures.

 

An issue to read and ponder.