Prof. Maria Cristina Lombardi, professor of Nordic Languages and Literatures at L’Orientale, will receive the award on 11 November
The last step in chronological order of a brilliant career is the appointment as a member of the Accademia dei Lincei for the section “Poetry and criticism”. A recognition for the passionate gaze always turned to Scandinavian verses and prose, at their fine translation into Italian, which has allowed it to establish itself, on the international scene, as ‘the linguistic bridge’ between the beautiful country and personalities such as, among others, i Nobel prize Tomas Tranströmer And Harry Martinson. She was born in Pistoia and raised in Florence, then the shuttle between Sweden and Finland to Naples, where she is the holder of the chair of Nordic Languages and Literatures at L’Orientale. It is the teacher Maria Cristina Lombardi who, in Atheneapolis, tells of himself: of the appointment received; of myth, theater and translation as polar stars of a life dedicated to Nordic culture. “I am very proud of the honorI did not expect it – He says – Moreover, on 11 November there will be the conferral in Rome, where a meeting of members for all sectors will take place. I must also say that I did not know prof. Carlo Ossola, that is, the one who named me. Let’s talk about an Italianist of great fame, he was full professor in many universities. When I received his phone call in June, I was very excited “.
Starting from this recognition and going backwards, what are the key steps in your career?
“If I think back to the beginning, surely the first contacts with the Nordic world. The Swedish one in particular, but also the Icelandic one. My doctoral thesis was about Icelandic medieval poems, which I then worked on Viking literature and poetrywhich contain myths, the stories of the pagan gods like Odin, Thor, which became popular. I have always found that magical horizon very fascinating. And I see that it also attracts students a lot. Another moment that we could define as a turning point concerns the period in which I played the doctorate in Stockholm. Universities always very organized, beautiful architectural structures. All this, immersed in the woods and greenery, to such an extent that animals could often be observed from the window. The Nordic countries are animated by a great love for nature “.
Her biography tells of Tuscany, where she was born and raised, of Scandinavia and Naples. Completely opposite worlds. Can you tell us about this journey?
“I arrived in Naples as a researcher of Germanic philology in 2002, after years of a doctorate, a little in Sweden, a little in Italy. And Naples, I must say, I love it very much, I have always found myself well, first of all with colleagues and students, but also with the city itself. I find it a cosmopolitan city and what’s more it has the sea, which I like very much. Also, always here, I carry on many projects with authors and theatrical actors, we have also been to Procida, the capital of Culture. It seems to me that Naples makes theater, my great passion, even more fascinating. I think of the tests done at Palazzo Liguoro ai Vergini, at the Wool Mill “.
Translate: how for music, “You have to have an ear”
Moving on to translation, how do you manage not to influence the message contained in the work during the work phase? It’s possible?
“It would take a whole lesson to answer this good question. Meanwhile translationdepending on whether it is prose, poetry or other, it requires a different approach each time. However, the key thing a translator must have is the knowledge of the author, of the culture he comes from, but also of his life and experiences. I was lucky because I had the chance to get to know Tranströmer. I saw his house, the objects, the piano. I was able to understand and read his notes. Poetry is often concentration, a metaphorical language, consequently, if you know the poet, you can better understand what he writes and the translation benefits from it. Then it is clear that it is important to have linguistic sensitivity also for Italian. To choose the right adjective, represent the nuances well. It’s a bit like music, you have to have an ear “.
Who are the authors you are most connected to?
“Well, without a doubt to the poems of Tranströmerit’s natural. When it comes to translating a Nobel Prize, it’s a career high. First of all it was important to make it known in Italy, and then in that period I was invited all over the country, it was a wonderful experience. But I also quote another Swedish author, still alive, Jesper Svenbro. I translated a poem that in Italian I called ‘Apollo Lappone’. He is also a Greek scholar and in these verses he imagined the god Apollo in the Nordic world. Something that I always liked a lot came out of it. That is, even if belonging to classical culture, we can trace the gods, their principles and what they represent everywhere, even in the Nordic world “.
Where do you see yourself in the future beyond work?
“I hope to stay in touch with Naples always. I see myself walking along the seafront, with a few detours to Ischia and Procida. I will always be busy at the Academy, of course, because conferences are constantly organized. In short, I will never abandon my passions. And then there’s the north, where maybe I’ll spend periods translating “.
A small gift for Ateneapolis readers. Some verses of him translated.
“There are some that refer to God, they are the last 6 lines of a poem. They say: ‘but he is also immutable, which is why it is rare to observe him here. He crosses the path of the procession on one side, as the vessel crosses the fog, without the fog noticing him. Silence. The faint light from the lantern is the signal. ‘ It is a poem that speaks of God as Tranströmer understood it (author of the verses, ed), that is, something that exists but without any reference to a particular religion. A divine spiritual is found, but it cannot be defined. The signal is fog. I like it very much because it is a very modern concept of religion and spirituality, you feel something that goes beyond the material world “.
Claudio Tranchino
Accademica dei Lincei: honor for the translator of the Scandinavian Nobel Prizes