RAI RADIO AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR CENTENARY (1914 – 2014)
The First World War changed the history of Europe and marked the destiny of several
Italian regions and communities. The memory of the dramatic events of that conflict is still
very strong particularly in theTrentino (northeastern Italy), where most of the population
was directly involved in the war known as the “Grande Guerra”. The landscape was
transformed before, during and after the war, and substantial political changes occurred.
Preserving this memory and sharing it at a European and international level is a
fundamental issue. This objective can also be attained through the promotion of peace
and brotherhood among people once fighting against each other.
For the anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, the Italian public radio channels
RAI Radio 2 and Radio 3, in collaboration with the EBU, will launch a new project
developed from the three editions of the “Path of Peace”, which took place in 2008-2010 in
Rovereto, location of the Italian War Museum founded in 1921 to commemorate the First
World War.
The Path of Peace project owes its name to a 521 km-long route that crosses roads, forest
paths, trenches and communication routes along the northern front.
Radio 2 and Radio 3 are scheduling a list of special events to be broadcast next summer
from the cities of Trento (Trent) and Rovereto.
Radio 2 Programme:
On 26 and 27 July, Radio 2 will be broadcasting from the MART Auditorium in Rovereto
two music events featuring Raphael Gualazzi (Italy), Piers Faccini (France, Italy, UK), Get
Well Soon (Germany) and Echo & the Bunnymen (UK)
Saturday 26 July:
9 pm Piers Faccini
10 pm Echo & the Bunnymen
Sunday 27 July:
9 pm Get Well Soon
10 pm Raphael Gualazzi
Also in July, Radio 2 will produce a daily rock programme dealing with themes of pacifism
and peace.
Radio 3 Programme:
On 28 June, in the morning, Radio 3 will present the reading “Campana della Pace” from
Gilberto Forti’s book “A Sarajevo il 28 giugno” (Adelphi).
On 28 June at 20.30, Radio 3 will broadcast from the Teatro Sociale in Trento a concert by
the Rai National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Gaetano D’Espinosa and featuring the
baritone Dietrich Henschel in the following programme:
Nicola Piovani (composer of the Academy Award-winning score for Roberto Benigni’s 1998
film, Life Is Beautiful)
Sarajevo (Première of this work commissioned by the Rai National Symphony Orchestra)
Gustav Mahler
Revelge
Lied des Verfolgten im Turm
Der Schildwache Nachtlied
Wo die schöne Trompeten blasen
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen
Maurice Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin
Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 ("Unfinished")
On 26 and 27 July, from the Palazzo Geremia in Trento, Radio 3 will broadcast chamber
music and organize conferences by the historians Camillo Zandra and Giuseppe Ferrandi,
lectures and poetry readings.
On 26 July at 12.00, there will be a programme of chamber music, “1914 – 1918 La Prima
Guerra Mondiale” , featuring the soprano Lorna Windsor and a piano sonata for four hands
(Antonio Ballista and Massimo Giuseppe Bianchi).
On 27 July at 12.00: “Histoire du soldat” by Igor Stravinsky, performed by the Ensemble
del Sud (director: Marcello Panni), with Anna Nogara (narrator).
Finally, from 30 June to 25 July, Radio 3 will produce a daily programme entitled “La
Grande Guerra. Sogni e macerie di un secolo fa”.