To celebrate the 700th anniversary of the death of Dante Alighieri, the Supreme Poet will be the absolute protagonist for two months at the Milan Cathedral with a unique program of its kind. With 'Dante in the Duomo'the complete reading of the Divine Comedy will be held from 3 May to 9 July 2021, from Monday to Friday, at 18.30 pm, in the Cathedral, near the high altar. The artistic direction is entrusted to Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, with the participation of musicians from the Teatro alla Scala Orchestra and pupils of the Piccolo Teatro di Milano. Every day the reading of two songs from Dante's immortal work will be staged.
“Dante in Duomo”, the program
Dante in the Duomo it will be streamed live on the YouTube channel and on the official Facebook page of the Milan Cathedral. It will also be possible to watch the reading live on television on channel 195 of the digital terrestrial Church TV. Each cantica will be introduced by an exceptional speaker who will hold an introductory lectio magistralis to reading. This is the program:
- Massimo Cacciari (3 May - introduction to Hell)
- Monsignor Marco Ballarini, Canon of the Duomo and Prefect of the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana (May 26 - introduction to Purgatory)
- Elio Franzini, Rector of the University of Milan (June 17 - introduction to Paradise)
In accordance with the provisions of the authorities and the protocols in force, the event will be accessible free of charge to the public up to the maximum capacity allowed. To participate, reservations are required starting from April 29th through the official website duomomilano.it.
Dante prophet of hope
The Archpriest of the Milan Cathedral wanted this project, Monsignor Gianantonio Borgonovo and the Metropolitan Chapter, with the collaboration of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo and the Veneranda Biblioteca Ambrosiana. An exhibition is planned for the same period. In this way the public will be able to admire the rich Dante heritage.
"I personally committed myself with the Metropolitan Chapter and the Veneranda Fabbrica to promote this Lectura Dantis. I felt important to recover the ancient historical memory of the Cathedral attested in a note of the Liber Dati et Recepti of the year 1418. In that year, the Fabbrica organized a public reading of the Comedy to raise funds for the construction of the cathedral - commented Gianantonio Borgonovo - "Today that historical note can revive the right spirit in us to pay homage to Dante on the occasion of the seventh centenary of his death, despite the objective difficulties created by the pandemic in progress".
The symbols of Italian culture in the world
Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, artistic director of “Dante in Duomo” underlined in the presentation press conference the importance of Dante. "For the exile to really end, Milan, and every city, must go back to being with the traveling Poet, "with his hat", with his-our language - the words of Finazzer Flory - The Divine Comedy in the Duomo: two cathedrals and one Father, for a reading on our eternal Comedy. Today more than ever we need Dante prophet of hope. The goal of our integral reading of the Divine Comedy is the entirety of the experience of speech and listening that Dante offers in this unrepeatable masterpiece.".
The event, supported by Intesa Sanpaolo, celebrates beauty and enhances two symbols of Italian culture around the world: Dante and the Milan Cathedral. The project is part of a broader commitment to encourage the relaunch of the country in the cultural and artistic fields. It is one of the most strategic sectors due to the intangible value it can generate in terms of social cohesion and the development of good practices.
