On the occasion of Dantedì and the end of the Dante year, which celebrated the seven hundredth anniversary of his death, the Italian Community “Santorio Santorio” of Capodistria paid homage to the Supreme Poet by presenting the translation of the Divine Comedy, accompanied by the commentary, in the Trieste dialect. The author of the monumental work, Nereo Zeper, after declaiming the canto that tells the story of Count Ugolino, retraced the almost 25 years spent “in the company of Dante” to fully understand his message and above all to find the right terms and metrics to render the three canticles and the stories they tell in the Trieste dialect.

A classic in dialect

The greetings of the organizers were presented by the president of the CI, Mario Steffè, who extended them to the deputy with the specific CNI seat in the Slovenian Parliament, Felice Žiža, who was present in the room. Steffè also highlighted the importance of Zeper's work which, he remarked, remains a classic even if translated into a dialect which for this very reason rises to the rank of language. It is brought closer to the general public for the emotional bonds it arouses, since dialect is the "language of the heart", the one taught to us by our parents, Steffè further noted. Valentina Petaros Jeromela, a well-known Dante scholar and president of the "Dante Alighieri" Society - Capodistria Committee, highlighted some details of the Divine Comedy in Trieste dialect.

The scholar focused on the linguistic references, which are especially important because Zeper's translation delves into the cultural baggage of Trieste of the past to find the right expressions, using words and expressions that have almost disappeared, thus fixing on paper an ancient dialect that has been lost over time, like all dialects, supplanted by other languages. The explanation was interspersed with the passionate readings of Nereo Zeper, a RAI director for many years, who said he was moved by his return to Capodistria, the city of origin of his maternal family, the Depontes.

Dante's iconography

Finally, to complete the homage to Dante, Steffè invited the public to learn about Dante's iconography, kept in Palazzo Gravisi Buttorai, the seat of the CI. In the Sala Nobile, the bust of the Supreme Poet was exhibited, which about 100 years ago had been placed on the Belvedere. It later passed to the Italian Gymnasium of Capodistria, which is still its owner. In the adjacent spaces, which the members refer to as the "Sala Dante", a splendid portrait of the poet has been on display for many years, with the Arena of Pola in the background, a work by the Capodistrian painter Bartolomeo Giannelli, soon to be restored. The restoration work is expected to be completed in 2024, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the artist's birth.

Source: The Voice of the People – 28/02/2022