Una guerra

A story inspired by the Decameron

by Michele Santeramo

Anna Foglietta narrating voice

Francesco Mariozzi cello

text by Michele Santeramo

original music by Francesco Mariozzi

True to my nature I remain faithful to my emotions and if something is making my heart beat fast, I tend to listen to it. “Una Guerra” [A War] is a text I remain faithful to and as the years pass it still shakes my wrists. It focuses on an important and timeless topic: the migrant's journey, in search of a life worthy of the name, and their encounters with unknown and ruthless adversities. In this case the main character is a mother, like me, with two children, who decides to take the unknown path of fortune, on a frightening journey, which is still better than staying put. A boat, the sea and the voice of unheard and unseen people are also all main characters. Life demanding attention and respect is also a main character, which always triumphs over death, no matter what. I hope you stay and listen to this story and to all the stories it contains, over the next few days too, and that you feel a desire to transform this feeling into substance, giving it a shape, any shape whatsoever, that strives for the good of all the unheard and unseen. I often ask myself what being“human” means to me. My answer is to consider my own journey as everyone's and everyone's journey as my own. I would like to end by thanking the Cucinelli Family for listening to "Una Guerra" right from the start, and for the profound and mutual outlook on living in the world.

Anna Foglietta

Anna Foglietta

Anna Foglietta was born in Rome in 1978. The turning point in her career came in 2011, when she played Eva in Nessuno mi può giudicare by Massimiliano Bruno, for which she was nominated for the David di Donatello and Nastro d’Argento awards. In 2016 she performed in Perfetti sconosciuti by Paolo Genovese and in La mafia uccide solo d’estate, a Rai tv series, for which she received a Flaiano International Award. In 2019 she won a Nastro d’Argento for best lead actress for Un giorno all’improvviso by Ciro d’Emilio. In the last few years, Anna has participated in different cinema and television projects, including DNA-Decisamente non adatti, Il talento del calabrone, Alfredino, una storia italiana, Blackout love, Trafficante di virus. In addition to her career as an actress, in 2020 she was the godmother of the 77th edition of the Venice Cinema Festival. In 2023 we saw her in the film Elf me and the series Everybody loves diamonds on Prime Video and in the films I migliori giorni and I peggiori giorni directed by Edoardo Leo and Massimiliano Bruno. We will see her again soon in the upcoming film of Paolo Costella, starring as the main character. She is also the founder and president of the socially useful NPO Every Child is my Child, socially committed to protecting the most vulnerable families.

Francesco Mariozzi

Born into the profession, he graduated in cello on 28/10/1996 from the N. Piccinni Conservatory, Bari with honours, under the mentorship of Maestro N. Sarpe. He continued his studies at the Hochschüle fur Musik, Würzburg, obtaining Meisterklassendiplom with Maestro J. Metzger; he developed under prestigious artists, including Maisky, Gutman, Geringas, Perènyi, Meunieur and Palm, and at important academies including “Stauffer”, Cremona, University of Mainz, Accademia Chigiana, Siena, Hochschüle, Vienna. From 2007 to 2012 he was first cello at the Massimo Bellini Theatre, Catania; as guest first cello he performed on numerous occasions at the S. Carlo Theatre, Naples, for the Sicilian Symphonic Orchestra, Teatro Regio di Parma and the Rome and Lazio Symphonic Orchestra. He works with the actors Claudio Santamaria, Anna Foglietta and Marco D'Amore, performing at important theatre festivals. Previously he has also worked with other important institutions, including the Santa Cecilia Orchestra of Rome and the prestigious “Arturo Toscanini” Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Loorin Maazel, as first cello. He has performed both as a soloist and chamber musician at prestigious musical and foreign institutions, including the Società del Quartetto of Florence, Spoleto Festival, l’Institut Culturel Italien de Montreal, the Fiesole musical meetings, Portogruaro festival of the Nations, Pomposa Festival, Umbrian Philharmonic Association, in March 2019 he performed as a soloist in Carnegie Hall, NY; he has frequently played duets with the pianist Bruno Canino. He is artistic director of Festival delle Città Medievali (Rome and Lazio). He has also recorded for Radio Vaticana on several occasions. In addition to concerts and teaching, Maestro Mariozzi also composes. He graduated in Cello and Composition from Hochschule für Musik di würzburg Frankfurt am Main (Germany).