Lesung: L’Italia degli alberi – Ein italienisches Arboretum

The Italian Cultural Institute Cologne , in collaboration with the Association of Friends of the Italian Cultural Institute, presents an encounter in German with A. Theodor Fasen. The translation of the work by Mario Rigoni Stern Vom Trost der Bäume (Dieterich'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Mainz 2024) will be presented. The event will take place on Wednesday, June 11 at 19:00 in our theater hall.

Mario Rigoni Stern's collection of essays Arboreto salvatico can be considered a classic of modern Italian nature prose. In it, the author from Asiago (1921-2008) combines natural history knowledge about the trees and forests of his homeland with his own life story, which was shaped by the experience of war, in a fascinating way. In a workshop discussion, A. Theodor Fasen, editor of the first German edition published in 2024 under the title Vom Trost der Bäume, will present the author and his work and provide insights into the research and translation work. The lecture will also take a look at the history of forest and woodland culture in Italy and provide suggestions for reading contemporary and historical authors who have dealt with this diverse topic (in German and Italian). An evening for all lovers of Italy, its literature and its landscapes.

A. Theodor Fasen has been translating from Italian in the field of art and cultural history for two decades. A doctor of philosophy and passionate gardener, he lives in Cologne and Senese.