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Theatralia Jazz Festival

June 5 2020

Qvinto Roma

 

Nov 8/9 2020

PizzaExpress Jazz Club

London

 

 

 

Next stop: Rome on Friday 5 June 2020!

  • About
  • Events
  • News
  • Podcast
  • Gallery
  • Profiles
  • Press
  • Quote 1
  • Partners
  • Tickets
  • Events 2018
  • News 2018
  • Podcast
  • Partners 2018
  • Press 2018
  • Profiles
  • International Media
  • Quote 2
  • Extra Events
  • About

    Fusing the warmth and atmosphere of the Eternal City of Rome with the vibrant and eclectic jazz scene of the West End, Filomena Campus’ Theatralia Jazz Festival returns to PizzaExpress Live celebrating its 5th anniversary.

     

    The 2019 Festival is organised in collaboration with the music venue and lounge restaurant QVINTO in Rome connecting the two major cultural capitals of London and Rome in homage to the city that has been praised by great poets like Lord Byron, Shelley and Keats. Assembling fabulous artists from a variety of backgrounds around her, the London-based Sardinian jazz vocalist Filomena Campus once again brings authentic music-making to PizzaExpress flagship jazz stage in Soho. Get ready for two evenings of mellifluous Mediterranean sounds and poetry mixed into original songs and stunning improvisations.

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    Theatralia Jazz Festival

    5th anniversary

    "Years ago I left my island, Sardinia, for another island. The UK welcomed me and helped me to make many dreams come true. At a moment in which walls are being raised, we seek to build a bridge between our two countries. One that is made of music, love, wine, and poetry.

     

    Musical encounters started in 2013 with the first edition of the festival, previously called My Jazz Islands. Encouraged by the vision of PizzaExpress' music manager Ross Dines and music programmer Joseph Paice we now welcome the festival's fifth edition, creating a bridge between the two cultural capitals of London and Rome, in collaboration with QVINTO. The new music venue and lounge restaurant is located at the Tor di Quinto park in Rome, incubated by the ingenious entrepreneur Sabrina Corbo, who lives between London and the ‘Eternal City’.

    Filomena Campus

    Theatralia Jazz Festival Artistic Director

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    Filomena Campus

    Award winning jazz vocalist, lyricist, lecturer, theatre director

    In 2013 Filomena Campus created the Theatralia Jazz Festival (formerly My Jazz Islands Festival) in which she seeks to unite her Sardinian roots with Italian and UK jazz musicians.

     

    Filomena Campus is a jazz vocalist and lyricist, as well as a theatre director and university lecturer. As a vocalist Filomena has toured and collaborated with top UK jazz artists including Evan Parker, Guy Barker, Orphy Robinson, Huw Warren, Byron Wallen, Cleveland Watkiss, Jean Toussaint, Kenny Wheeler, the London Improvisers Orchestra and fellow Sardinian musicians Paolo Fresu, Gavino Murgia and Antonello Salis.

     

    '“Her scatting is literally something else, a modernist in her approach” - Jazz in Europe

     

     

     

  • Events

    Love Letters from London to Rome

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    Filomena Campus & Giorgio Serci feat. Keld Ensemble String Quintet

    Special guest Natasha Stanic Mann

     

    11 November
    show 8:30pm | doors 6:30pm
    PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho
     

    Scaramouche with strings attached

    Sounds of the Mediterranean meet Brazilian rhythms and Baroque arpeggios in ‘Scaramouche’.

    Inspired by the masked character of the Commedia dell'Arte, vocalist Filomena Campus wrote lyrics based on poems and songs by Jack Hirschman, Maria Carta, Hermeto Pascoal and Chico Buarque, which were set to music by guitarist Giorgio Serci and recorded in 2015 for the duo’s warmly-received album.

     

    Suitably for the 5th anniversary of her Theatralia Jazz Festival, Campus and her fellow Sardinian guitarist Serci are now accompanied by a string Quintet of the Keld Ensemble, creating a mellifluous layer to their original music in a new arrangement for strings.

     

    The evening will be interspersed with personal testimonies from Elena Remigi’s book ‘In Limbo’ in readings by actress Natasha Stanic Mann in the form of 'love letters' to London.

     

    Past event

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    Filomena Campus Quartet feat. Rowland Sutherland

     

    Special guest Natasha Stanic Mann

     

    12 November
    show 8:30pm | doors 6:30pm
    PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho
     

    Moderately Safe

    Drawing inspiration from a variety of influences such as the Commedia dell’Arte, poetry and her native Sardinia, vocalist Filomena Campus fuses jazz with theatre in her performances. On the path of improvisation, her warm stage presence and lustrous voice wrap skilfully around the artistry of long-term collaboration partner Steve Lodder on piano, drummer Rod Youngs, and for this occasion Charlie Pyne on double bass,

    The quartet is joined by flautist Rowland Sutherland for a new take on some of the quartet's original songs. Sutherland also presents some of his compositions, including Moderately Safe and Drizzle, with lyrics by Campus.

    Performer Natasha Stanic Mann will inspire and trigger the quartet’s improvisation through her interpretation of poems by British and Italian authors, including poignant extracts from the book In Limbo Too by Elena Remigi.

    It promises to be a highly creative evening by the Filomena Campus Quartet and their special guests.

     

    Past event

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    Theatralia Jazz Festival at Qvinto Roma

     

     

     

    5 June 2020

    Full line up tbc
    The Roof at QVINTO, Rome

     

     

    The second leg of the festival will take place in Rome in 2020 and see jazz artists of the UK and Italy perform together with the Filomena Campus Quartet at the newly opened QVINTO, where the audience can enjoy a unique culinary experience and its refined and magical atmosphere.

     

    qvintoroma.it

     

  • news

    Jazz in Europe

    Poetry, passion and strings aplenty 

    "Theatralia Festival is yet again showing high levels of quality and promises to be even greater in Rome"- review by Erminia Yardley

    ANSA

    "una tradizione sulla scena londinese e trasformata quest'anno in una sorta di 'ponte' fra la capitale del Regno Unito e Roma"

    Jazzwise

    "This exciting initiative taken by London-based vocalist Filomena Campus is the best possible advert for cross-cultural exchange at a time of internal strife in Europe."

    Jazz in Europe

    Campus is "the head and heart behind this incredible project which is always full of surprises and talents! - preview by Erminia Yardley

    QVINTO

     

    Newly opened music venue and lounge restaurant in Rome is our new festival partner.

  • podcast

  • Gallery

    Impressions of the Theatralia Jazz Festival throughout the years. Previous line-ups have included performances by Paolo Fresu, Antonello Salis, Stefano Benni, Gavino Murgia, Orphy Robinson, Cleveland Watkiss, Marta Capponi, Oren Marshall, Jean Toussaint, Tory Handsley and Robert Mitchell.
    All photos of the 2019 and 2018 Theatralia Jazz Festival are courtesy of Carl Hyde

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  • Profiles

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    Keld Ensemble

    string quintet

    Founded by violinists Jonathan Acton and Kate Waterworth a decade ago, the Keld Ensemble is a versatile string orchestra who enjoy

    collaborating with a wide range of soloists including soprano Jodie Devos, Pianists Jong-Gyung Park, Antony Zerpa Falcon and Bela Hartmann, Harpsichordists Masumi Yamamoto and Asako Ogawa,
    DJ Francesca Lombardo, violinist Mona Kodama, classical guitarists Sean Shibe and Giulio
    Tampalini, and Deutscher Chor London.

     

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    Giorgio Serci

    guitar

    Giorgio Serci's technical skills on guitar range from classical, jazz, world and contemporary music enabling him to perform and record with artists like Ivan Lins, David Garrett, Basia, Camille Bertault, Sylvain Luc and Martin Taylor, He is a columnist for Guitar Interactive and collaborates with Fibonacci Archtop guitars, who are releasing the ‘Giorgio Serci Alma’ Signature model. Serci is also a co-founder of the renowned Bansangu Orchestra, which recently performed at Ronnie Scott's to great success.

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    Rowland Sutherland

    flute

    Rowland Sutherland is a much sought-after jazz and classical music arranger. His rich musical background ranges from Caribbean and Brazilian influenced jazz, free improvisation and contemporary classical music. He is leader of the Brazilian jazz band Mistura and performs with his own Sextet, Sutherland is also a member of the Colin Currie Group.

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    Natasha Stanic Mann

    performer

    Natasha Stanic Mann works across theatre, film and performance art. She studied Acting at ARTTS International in Yorkshire, and Physical Theatre at the International School of Corporeal Mime in London. As founder of Studio Lila and the Festival of Visual Theatre Labin in Croatia, she has collaborated internationally with many artists and theatre groups. In 2006, she participated in the Theatralia production U238 at Camden People's theatre.

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    Steve Lodder

    piano

    Highly regarded sideman for many International and London musicians. He has also been musical associate with Paul McCartney and musical arranger for the Zappatistas.

     

    ‘Lodder is both an improviser of originality and a musical thinker of erudition and depth’ - The Guardian

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    Rod Youngs

    drums

    Whether playing mainstream jazz, world music or urban contemporary, Rod Youngs moves seamlessly from one genre to another. A native of Washington DC, Rod has performed with array of artists including, Lee Konitz, Jon Hendricks, Julian Joseph, Courtney Pine, and Jazz Jamaica All Stars,

     

    Music OMH magazine describes the London based drummer as “supremely subtle and melodic…dynamic and powerful”.

     

     

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    Charlie Pyne

    double bass

    Charlie Pyne is a London based double bass player and is the solid backbone of some of contemporary jazz’s most exciting talents. Her debut album Dancing Shadows is a collection of thoughtful, melodic songs with lots of groove and an atmosphere of story telling. It features Luke Pinkstone on sax, Liam Dunachie on piano and Katie Patterson on drums and Pyne has recently also recorded with Jazz Ahmed and Issie Barratt's Interchange.

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    In Limbo Project

    The In Limbo Project is a not for profit project based on the idea by Elena Remigi. It was launched in the aftermath of the 2016 UK referendum to give a voice to 3.5m EU citizens living in the UK and 2.2m UK citizens living in the rest of the EU. The project has resulted in the publication of two books: In Limbo and In Limbo Too…which are personal testimonies of citizens on both side of the channel.

  • PRESS reviews

    Jazzwise

    "This exciting initiative taken by London-based vocalist Filomena Campus is the best possible advert for cross-cultural exchange at a time of internal strife in Europe."

    Jazz in Europe

    '"So this is really what jazz can ALSO be; it can be about poetry, about singing it, performing it, it is about creation."

    La Nuova Sardegna

    Il festival Theatralia come un ponte fra la Sardegna, sua terra d’origine, e la Gran Bretagna, un’altra isola che poi ha accolto la cantante e attrice sarda spianandole la strada verso il successo.

  • "Hats off to the organisers for bringing together this mélange of the two cultures: romance, fun, satire, fine music, powerful performers, jazz from island to island. "

    londonjazz

  • partners

    The 2019 Theatralia Jazz Festival is a joint initiative of Theatralia Productions, PizzaExpress Live and Qvinto, and is supported by Green Energy, the Sardinian Embassy in London, CinemaItaliaUK, The European Bookshop and the In Limbo project.

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  • SAVE THE DATE

    june 5th 2020

    We'd love to see you in Rome this Spring!

    Qvinto
  • Events

    "Sardinian Extravaganza" in Alghero and London

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    Black Top +

    Duo Peghin & Maltana

     

    27 September
    10:00pm
    Poco Loco Jazz Club, Alghero

     

    Alghero meets London
    Award winning Vibraphonist Orphy Robinson MBE and pianist/computer musician Pat Thomas aka ‘Black Top’ will be performing at the Poco Loco Jazz Club in the historic town of Alghero. Their virtuoso, freely improvised performances combine twisted loops, samples and dub-effects, which draw on their Afro-Caribbean roots, with a spontaneity and daring rooted in experimental free-jazz.

    They will explore how their music intertwines with the intimate music of Sardinian Duo Marcello Peghin on 10-string guitar and Salvatore Maltana on double bass.

    "It's edgy, uncompromising improv, but full of rugged lyricism, and built on plenty of compelling grooves."John Fordham, The Guardian on Black Top

    SOLD OUT past event.

    TICKETS AVAILABLE @ POCO LOCO

    Tel 0039 -079/983604

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    Cleveland Watkiss +

    Duo Pegin & Maltana feat. Marta Capponi

    13 November
    show 8:30pm | doors 6:30pm
    PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho

     

    London meets Alghero

    Soho’s jazz audience can experience the artistry of the Sardinian duo of Marcello Peghin on 10-string guitar and Salvatore Maltana on double bass, creating an intimate atmosphere with originals which fuse traditional tunes, Afro-American rhythms and Brazilian melodies. London-based Italian vocalist Marta Capponi joins the duo from Alghero as special guest to present original tunes created for this occasion, before the award-winning vocal wizard Cleveland Watkiss takes to the stage. Blending improvisation, counterpoint harmony, electronics, break-beat loops and bass lines, the award-winning vocalist creates a unique orchestral soundscape in Vocal Suite, drawing on the mood and ambience of the jazz club and its audience.

     

    BOOK TICKETS

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    Filomena Campus Quartet feat.

    Jackie Walduck

    14 November

    show 8:30pm | doors 6:30pm
    PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho

     

     

    From the sweet taste of myrtle wine, to the deep coral reefs and golden sand, vocalist Filomena Campus takes you with her to her beloved island. Vibraphonist Jackie Walduck joins Campus’ long-term collaboration partners Steve Lodder on piano, drummer Rod Youngs and Davide Mantovani on double bass for impromptu riffs on some of the quartet’s original songs. They will also present a new composition 'A Bolu Pasidu' (Gliding) about improvisation by one of Sardinian’s most celebrated poets of the 20th century, Raimondo Piras. A signature project, who have taken their unique take on jazz following the success of their album Jester of Jazz to audiences around world.

     

     

    BOOK TICKETS

  • news

    JazzFM

    Filomena Campus was interviewed by Sarah Ward for Jazz Travels on 6 November - listen back

     

    Jazzwise

    "This exciting initiative taken by London-based vocalist Filomena Campus is the best possible advert for cross-cultural exchange at a time of internal strife in Europe."

    Jazz in Europe

     

    Music, art and dreamy landscapes in colourful unison

    London Jazz News

    PREVIEW:

    Theatralia Jazz Festival

    Alghero meets London

    "Sardinian Extravaganza" featured in La Nuova Sardegna and local newspaper Alghero Eco

    Jazz improvisation, poetry and stunning landscapes all linked into one.

    Jazz in Europe's senior writer Erminia Yardley previews the events in Alghero and London

    Meet & Greet

    Black Top meets up with the local press in Alghero on 26 September

    Extravaganza: Alghero at London

    Notizie Alguer previews Black Top's concert with Duo Peghin & Salvatore Maltana at the Poco Loco Jazz Club on 27 September

  • podcast

  • partners

    "Sardinia Extravaganza" is a joint initiative of the City of Alghero, Fondazione Alghero, Theatralia Jazz Festival, Jazz Alguer, PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Poco Loco Jazz Club and receives the support of Easyjet and Sogeaal Airport of Alghero.

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  • PRESS reviews

    RaiNews

    Tre giorni di grande musica a Londra dove il jazz italiano incontra quello britannico in un incrocio tra musica, teatro e poesia con ospiti eccellenti,

    Jazzwise review 

    Filomena Campus’ spellbinding Monk homage at Theatralia Jazz Festival

    Kind of Jazz ***** review

    La Repubblica

    Per il settimanale Time Out, bibbia dell'intrattenimento nella capitale, è lo show da non perdere in questi giorni: tre date per il Theatralia Jazz Festival. La Repubblica

    Remotegoat ***** review

    ‘A music gem for London’.

    Unione Sarda

    “Filomena Campus enchants London”

    La Nuova Sardegna

    Il festival Theatralia come un ponte fra la Sardegna, sua terra d’origine, e la Gran Bretagna, un’altra isola che poi ha accolto la cantante e attrice sarda spianandole la strada verso il successo.

    Farnesina

    Campus porta a Londra il Theatralia Jazz Festival

    ANSA

    ‘The best Italian jazz arrives to London’

  • Profiles

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    Paolo Fresu

    Jazz star Paolo Fresu has performed around the world over the past 30 years, with a track record of 300 recordings. His unique trumpet sound is recognized as one of the most distinctive in the contemporary jazz scene.


    'Fresu is one of the most seductive trumpet players in jazz, a heart-on-sleeve romantic, a purveyor of graceful, flowing lyricism, with a golden, sensual trumpet sound'

    - JAZZTIMES

     

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    Oren Marshall

    Oren Marshall is a pioneering player of acoustic tuba and electric tuba who, crossing between classical, jazz, improvised and world music. He has played with every major orchestra in London as well as with the Bolshoi Theatre Soloists, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Canadian Ballet. . As a solo artist, Oren has played all over the world and his ground-breaking solo work lead to a nomination for the BBC Innovation in Jazz Award, 2 years running.

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    Stefano Benni

    Benni is an Italian satirical writer, poet and journalist. His books have been translated into around 20 foreign languages and scored notable commercial success. 2.5 million copies of his books have been sold in Italy.

     

    'At his Italian readings he is treated more like a rock star than a writer. Huge audiences hang devotedly upon his every pronouncement'

    - The Guardian on Stefano Benni

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    Cleveland Watkiss

    Cleveland Watkiss is a British virtuoso vocalist, actor and composer. He was the winner of the London Jazz Awards for Best Vocalist in 2010 and was voted Wire/Guardian Jazz Awards best vocalist for three consecutive years.

     

    'Best male jazz singer in Britain' - Evening Standard

     

    'A jazz legend' - Telegraph

     
     

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    Tori Handsley

    Composer, arranger and performer, playing pedal, electric and latin harps.

    Tori is an active member of the jazz and free improv scene and has performed with Nigel Kennedy, Orphy Robinson, Cleveland Watkiss, Pat Thomas, Kairos 4tet, and is now a member of the Jazz Warriors International. Tori also leads her own trio.

     

     

     

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    Ruth Goller

    RUTH GOLLER (originally from Bressanone-Italy) is a electric and doublebass-player, composer, teacher living in London.

    She plays with a wide range of musicians, composers and songwriters, and also writes a monthly column for Bass Guitar Magazine and teaches electric bass at Kent University

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    Laura Cole

    Laura Cole is a jazz composer/pianist who lives in Leeds but whose band Metamorphic is based in London. Her work with Metamorphic is recognised nationally.
    Laura also has a blog which discusses the issues that women face in music.

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    Antonio Di Bella

    Journalist, Paris correspondent for Rai (Italian Public TV) Antonio Di Bella is also a musician and composer. His past assignements (New York and South America) influenced his musical style . Former editor in chief at TG3 and Rai3, he is always trying to use self irony to overcome the limits of Mediterranean journalism.

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    Robert Mitchell

    Robert Mitchell has released 8 albums, is a Steinway artist, composer, teacher and festival curator. He has worked with Grammy winners Bournemourth Symphony Chorus, Basement Jaxx, and many luminaries in jazz, classical, experimental, soul, hip hop and folk musics. He is soon recording albums with his bands Panacea, and a new trio.

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    Jean Toussaint

    Since Toussaint left Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers in the mid eighties, he hasn’t looked back.

    Today he works out of London England as a composer, tenor/soprano saxophonist, bandleader and highly regarded jazz educator.

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    Steve Lodder

    Highly regarded sideman for many International and London musicians. He has also been musical associate with Paul McCartney and musical arranger for the Zappatistas.

     

    ‘Lodder is both an improviser of originality and a musical thinker of erudition and depth’ - The Guardian

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    Orphy Robinson

    One of the industry’s leading marimba players, vibraphone players, multi-instrumentalist, composers and musical directors. He has written for Theatre, Television, Opera, provided music scores for the 2012 London Olympics. Orphy is one of the founders of The Jazz Warriors International.

    "Vibes player Orphy Robinson is a national treasure." - Telegraph

     

  • International Media

    JazzFM

    Filomena Campus talks with Chris Philips about her 3rd Theatralia Jazz Festival

    TGR Rai Sardegna

    Italian RAI News

    BBC Radio3

    A sentence or two describing this item.

  • "Campus had a warm stage presence, winning the audience over to her refreshingly experimental style: ‘...the freedom to dampen, tonight, to change, to live, to be happy."

    London Jazz

  • Extra Events

    Free events at the Italian Cultural Institute London and The Italian Bookshop.

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    Vocal Workshop 

    4 November 2015 6.30pm

    Workshop by Filomena Campus and Cleveland Watkiss on songs inspired by Thelonious Monk. Open to singers and performers who want to improve their improvisation and vocal skills as well as their stage presence. Participants might be selected to perform on 6 November!

     

    Fully booked; waiting list available: 

    Italian Cultural Institute - 39 Belgrave Square London

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    Theatralia Interlude

    6 November 2015, 6.30pm

    An evening of live music, theatre, projections and drinks as taster to the festival. Performances by Cleveland Watkiss, Filomena Campus, actresses Monica Nappo Kelly and Paola Cavallin. Special guests are radio DJ's Chris Phillips (JazzFM) and Ruth Fisher (Solar Radio).

     

    Booking required: Italian Cultural Institute - 39 Belgrave Square London

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    Book presentation Stefano Benni

    7 November 2015, 7pm

    Italian author Stefano Benni presents his latest book 'Cari Mostri' ('Dear Monsters'). He talks to Enrico Franceschini, Italian correspondent for La Repubblica in London.

     

    Booking required: Italian Bookshop - 5 Warwick Street London

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