Laboratorio Leopardi

• First annual seminar, October 1999

The theme of the passions, central to Leopardi’s thought, is borrowed from the philosophical tradition of the 17th and 18th centuries, but is then developed and becomes the focal point of his own poetic project. The concept of passione lends itself of course to a wide spectrum of meanings, which include emotion, feeling and love, among others. Over forty people, including nine bursary-holders, attended the first annual seminar on 30 October 1999. Its theme was Leopardi and the Passions.

The invited speakers were all working on one or another of the topics outlined above and gave the following papers:

• Maria de las Nieves Muniz Muniz (University of Barcelona) The importance and the meaning of love in Leopardi
• Wanda Marra (University of Rome) Passion and thought in Leopardi and some contemporaries (Maine de Biran, Joubert and Coleridge)
• Giorgio Stabile (University of Rome) Leopardi and the scientific thought of the 17th and 18th centuries
• Emmanuela Tandello (University College, London) The influence and presence of Leopardi in Amelia Rosselli

The speakers aimed primarily to present work in progress in a way that would throw light on problems which they had encountered in their work, and to stimulate ideas and discussion. In this they fully succeeded, and a wide-ranging debate between speakers and audience continued until late in the afternoon.