Sicily Scene

Here I am, almost a week late in posting about the 73rd Sanremo Festival of Italian Song , life and a storm (of which more below) having int...

How lovely it is to see the Sanremo Festival back this year with a live audience in the Ariston Theatre. This, of course, wasn't possib...

The anniversary of the 1969 moon landing always makes me think of my first visit to Italy, which took place in that year and I have written ...

Yes, I've had a long break from blogging, for health and other reasons but I've never let a St David's Day go by without postin...

With thanks, as always, to the wonderful Mimi Lenox for her year-round work for this day. Laura Pausini - Il mondo che vorrei ...

I'm sorry there's been a bit of a break - blame the relentless heat, even for Sicily, this summer and, quite posibly, ageing! ...

This is the night when Italians look for shooting stars. If you see one, don't forget to make a wish! But don't worry if they don...

Here is Gianluca from Il Volo to cheer us all up: Il Volo - soloist: Gianluca Ginoble - La Danza (Rossini)

Recently I've been reminded how much France and her freedoms have meant to me by reading Sarah Bakewell's At the Existentialist Caf...

Time for a little fun with the number three song in the Italian charts (not the Volare you may be thinking of!) Fabio Rovazzi e Gianni M...

Sorry about the lack of posting this week, everyone - I've been somewhat distracted by events in my home country, as you may imagine.  ...

What else, tonight? Stay safe, wherever you are. Ariana Grande with Parrs Wood High School Choir - My Everything  #OneLoveManches...

At the end of a sad week in both my countries, I think this, sung by a Welshwoman and an Italian, is appropriate. Andrea Bocelli and Kath...

The title track of the number 3 album in the Italian iTunes album chart: Francesco Renga - Scriverò il tuo nome

If, like me, you need cheering up, who better to do it than the lovely Mr Buanne?  Found this by chance. Patrizio Buanne - Gli occhi mie...

To reach no. 25 in the Italian singles charts isn't bad for a song from 1977, so congratulations to Umberto Tozzi who, to celebrate th...

Haven't we all been there? Samuel - Vedrai

I knew of this Eros song, but not that he had sung it with Pavarotti. When I heard it on the radio last week, I was moved to tears: Ero...

Nice to see this collaboration between Tiziano Ferro and Catania's Carmen Consoli . No. 12 in the Italian singles chart this week: T...

Asked to talk about the process of translation last night at the launch of Antonio Lonardo's poetry collection, Alla ricerca dell'O...