1 – 1901 (translated)
Jean-Claude Acquaviva/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
A text in memory of two Georgians (Tao and Georges). Both were born in 1901 in the Caucasus. Their fate was parallel. They were exiled and died far away from home. The words are addressed to their children that express the love and nostalgia for the homeland, but also the fear of returning home.
2 – Dies irae (translated)
lithurgical/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
Song from the Via Crucis
3 – Alilo (translated)
traditional Georgian Christmas song
Given to A Filetta by “Les voix de Géorgie” (The voices of Georgia).
4 – Lode à una simpatica zitella
Pampasgiolu/traditional
This is a text by the poet Pampasgiolu. It was re-edited by the author a few months before his death. A tribute to a girl. This girl is none other than Geneviève Geronimi, the mother of Jean-Luc Geronimi performing the hymn.
5 – Benedictus
liturgical/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
Song from the Via Crucis
6 – L’invitu extract
Jean-Claude Acquaviva/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
This part comes from the last lines of “L’invitu”. A song about Medea, in which the choir cries out their wish to celebrate the Royal Wedding. They ask Medea, the divorced woman to leave the kingdom.
7 – Beati (translated)
liturgical/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
Song from the Via Crucis
8 – U cantu di l’acqua (translated)
Jean-Claude Acquaviva/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
Song from the Via Crucis which is set during the passion of Christ. The moment that Pilate gives the fate of Jesus of Nazareth in the hands of the Jewish people.
A text that reflects the ambivalence of the water. Usually, a symbol of life, here it is changing into a death message.
9 – Nanna
Traditional Georgian lullaby.
10 – Meditate
Primo Levi/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
On a text by Primo Levi “Se questo è un uomo”. This creation comes from the Via Crucis and stressed the urgent need to remember that there was cruelty and horror. A warning to new emerging violence.
Primo Levi was part of the Italian resistance. He was arrested and deported. He was one of the few Jews that returned from Auschwitz.
11 – Liberata
Jean-Claude Acquaviva/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
The soundtrack of Liberata. This movie about the resistance in Corisca during the Second World War, was made in the Balagne. The text is written in memory of Pierre Griffi. He was a young radio operator from Algiers. He died in Bastia in 1943 by the Blackshirts (Italian fascist regime under Mussolini ed.).
12 – Scherzi veranili
Petru Santucci/Jean-Michel Giannelli
Words from Petru Santucci, that shows the poets fear of the arrival of spring. In his oppinian the season is insincere because of the euphoria.
13 – Cuntrastu
traditional
A poetic duel filled with humor, it’s a quarrel between a rude man and his jealous wife who blames him or infidelity.
14 – Treblinka (vertaald)
Jean-Yves Acquaviva/Jean-Claude Acquaviva
Text by Jean-Yves Acquaviva who describes with much sensitivity the hopes despite the horror and life despite reflected hell. Inspired by Levi texts Amry and Semprun.
Di notte è pò di nebbia ne era u viaghju
Mezu à tarre silenziu, immaculate stese
Cù u morsu cutratu d’ un eternu farraghju
Per pate ne di l’omi e pessime offese
Maiò, donne è zitelli imbulighjati è stretti
Mandati da ‘ssi treni à u murtale esigliu
À una sorte indegna, à ghjorni maladetti
Per di l’idee tonte paspà ne u berbigliu
A sperenza ne campa ancu in lu bughju cecu
A voglia di fighjà torna u sole nasce
È mezu à notte è nebbia una luce ci vecu
A vita cerca sempre un pratu novu à pasce
Maiò, donne è zitelli decisi tutti inseme
N’un soffiu di rivolta, brama di libertà
Una volta è pò centu anu accesu di speme
E notte di ‘ss’infernu chjamatu Treblinka
Finite e rivolte, ne ferma u sbilanciu
Parechji si sò morti, pocu ne sò scappati
Ma à tutti l’hè parsu un distinu più danciu
D’andà si ne arritti c’à campà indinuchjati
A sperenza ne campa ancu in lu bughju cecu
A voglia di fighjà torna u sole nasce
È mezu à notte è nebbia una luce ci vecu
A vita cerca sempre un pratu novu à pasce
Of night and fog was made their voyage
Crossing the silence of extended white
Winter’s prisoners the cold did bite
From other men did they suffer the worst outrage
Elder, women, children pushed and crammed
Transported by that train to mortal exile
of an awful fate, sacrificed on the altar
Of a diabolical idea that was born in darkness
Hope stays alive even in the shadows
The desire to see the sun come up
Despite night and fog I see light up
This path that life has always revered
Elders, women, children: a single will
A whisper of revolt, desire for liberty still
That one and a hundred times hope revived
That in the hellish night of Treblinka survived
The revolt extinguished, the decision made
Some escaped, many were slain
They all chose the fate sweetest and plain
Better die on your feet than live on your knees
Hope stays alive even in the shadows
The desire to see the sun come up
Despite night and fog I see light up
This path that life has always revered
