“Unforgettable and unforgettable artist”, this is the dedication imprinted on the Lifetime Achievement Award in memory of Giuni Russo who last night, in the Sala Mattarella of Palazzo dei Normanni, the Italian Society of Arts and Entertainment Law Experts (Siedas) wished to deliver for remember the artist from Palermo who died prematurely 18 years ago, in his own city – which for years instead forgot it – on the occasion of his VII National Assembly.
The award was presented by the president of the non-profit association, Fabio Dell’Aversana (in the picture), to Sandra Figliuolo, a journalist from PalermoToday, who had been delegated by Maria Antonietta Sisini, producer and life partner of Giuni Russo, to represent her, being unable to come to Palermo. A very important recognition also because it comes in just a few days from the title of the Palchetto della musica from piazza Castelnuovo to the singer-songwriter with an unrivaled and original voice from the Borgo Vecchio. An initiative in which this newspaper has been at the forefront, launching two years ago also a petition online, to be able to realize Sisini’s dream of leaving a tangible sign of Giuni Russo in his Palermo.
“I sincerely thank the president Fabio Dell’Aversana and all those present and I apologize for not being able to participate in person – wrote Maria Antonietta Sisini in a message that was read during the event – but I entrust this thought of mine to Sandra Figliuolo from PalermoToday who represents me, together with Cristiana Pietropaolo from NuovoImaie. There are two aspects that make me particularly happy and proud of the award that Siedas has decided to confer on Giuni Russo: the first is that Giuni has always looked with extreme seriousness, almost sacredness, at the paternity of the works, of her and those of other artists. I too – she remarked – in my capacity as producer, musician, author I continue to pay particular attention to the protection of the intellectual work and to the respect due to it. So I really like that this recognition comes from an association that is active in raising awareness of the protection of copyright and the dissemination of musical arts and more “.
The message ends with a tribute to Sicily: “The second aspect is the love that Giuni has always kept for her land, for nature, for a Sicily that is without borders, because it was born as magic, the magic of landscapes, of energies and spirituality “.
During her speech Sandra Figliuolo underlined how Giuni Russo was opposed in life and then often unjustly relegated to the margins, despite her sublime voice and her intense expressive capacity, despite her constant research path that led her to break down the boundaries between genres, ranging from pop to opera, from electronic to Neapolitan music, from blues to the interpretation of sacred texts, “encompassing almost all possible music”.
Furthermore, the need to remember (by discovering and / or rediscovering her work) Giuni Russo was also stressed “for her courageous choices and because she was a free woman, who refused easy compromises, the success quantified in copies sold, in the name of music and art, preferring to sing what he really loved and touch the hearts and souls of the listeners “.
Maria Antonietta Sisini and her daughter Enza had also sent a series of videos precisely because Giuni Russo was present in spite of the physical absence. And so, last night, in the building that is the seat of the oldest Parliament in Europe, the artist’s voice sang songs such as “Mediterranea”, “The figure of her” and “Metropolitan crisis”: an unusual and extremely nice.
Lifetime Achievement Awards were also presented by Siedas to Maria Immordino, professor of administrative law at the University of Palermo and member of the CGARS, to the artist Pippo Madè and to the actress Lucia Sardo.