Menotti Lerro

Menotti Lerro
Menotti Lerro at the Giubbe Rosse's literary café, Florence 2011..JPG Menotti Lerro at the Giubbe Rosse's literary café, Florence 2011..JPG Menotti Lerro at the Literary Caffè Giubbe Rosse in Florence
Born	(1980-02-22) 22 February 1980 Omignano, Italy
💼 Occupation	Teacher, writer, poet, playwright
Movement	Empathism (founder)

Menotti Augusto Serse Lerro (22 February 1980) is an Italian poet, writer, playwright, librettist and Anglicist academic. His work explores matters of social alienation and existentialism, the physicality and vulnerability of the body, the interpretation of memories, the meaning of objects and the philosophical importance of human identity. In 2015 he published Donna Giovanna, l'ingannatrice di Salerno, a feminized bisexual version of the mythical figure of Don Juan, El Burlador de Sevilla. In 2018 he wrote Il Dottor Faust, an original version of the character of Faust. In addition he is the author of a New Manifesto of Arts and the founder of the Empathic Movement (Empathism) that arose in the South of Italy at the beginning of 2020.

Biography

Menotti Lerro was born to Omignano in the Salerno Province. Son of Pietro Lerro, a carpenter, and Rosanna Pinto, a seamstress, he started to write poems when he was seventeen, as he stated in different volumes and interviews. The first componiment was titled "Ceppi incerti" (in English: "Uncertain stumps"), wrote in front of the fireplace of his parents' home. With this, he wanted to suggest both: that his life was as difficult to burn well as those wooden logs in the chimney pot, and that his poetry was still not really ready. He went then to study at Università degli Studi di Salerno where he got his first degree. He has got three sisters older than him: Melinda, Romina and Lucrezia. Lucrezia is also a poet and writer. Large part of his work is dedicated to the figure of his father. In particular there are clear autobiographical references in the semi-autobiographical novel Augusto Orrel: memorie d'orrore e poesia (Joker: 2007) and in the poetry collections Il mio bambino (Genesi: 2011) and Nel nome del padre (Genesi: 2012). In addition, strong allusions to his father and his chronic health problems are also in the theatrical volumes Il gorilla (Genesi: 2015) and Donna Giovanna (Zona: 2015). In 2020 the native municipality gives him the title of Honorary citizen. In that occasion, one of his aphorisms, written in a mosaic, was put on the wall of the council chamber, saying: "Non bisogna aver paura dei sogni, ma di chi non vuole farci sognare" (In English: "We shouldn't be afraid of dreams, but of those who don't want us to dream").

Education and career

Lerro studied English and Spanish languages and literatures at University of Salerno, starting in 2000, and received his degree in 2004. During this time he spent seven months in Oxford as an exchange student. In 2006, after working one year in Milan for Mondadori publishing house, he received a scholarship from the University of Salerno to study abroad and began his masters' degree in "The Body and Representation" at the University of Reading under the supervision of Carolyn Williams Lyle. He later received the expert status of “Cultore della Materia” at the University of Salerno and in 2010 became visiting scholar at the University of Reading, where he undertook postgraduate teaching. Later, after completing his PhD in English and Spanish literature at the University of Salerno, under the supervision of Maria Teresa Chialant and Giuseppe Gentile (academic), he became a visiting scholar at the University of Warwick (2014) and at the University of Edinburgh (2020). He taught English Culture and Civilization and English Literature at Ciels University of Milan for four years (2014–2018) before moving to Padua to teach the same subjects. He collaborated and taught lessons at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera, Accademia Albertina and IULM University. In 2022 he received a degree in Italian Studies (In Italian: "Lettere").

Enrolled in the register of journalists since 2005, in 2022 he started writing opinion pieces for the Italian newspaper Affari Italiani.

Critical response to his literary work

According to Andrew Mangham: "Menotti Lerro is one of the most interesting poets in modern-day Europe". Lerro has also been praised by the Italian influential critic Giorgio Barberi Squarotti, who defined him as "brillant". In addition, the same Squarotti, wrote a preface at Lerro's collection of poetry titled Gli occhi sul Tempo, Manni editore, 2009. In 2012, Roberto Carifi referred to Lerro as "one of the most interesting poets of the current Italian panorama" in the magazine "Poesia" (Crocetti editore). Moreover, Alessandro Serpieri (writer), known for his work about William Shakespeare and Emeritus Professor at the University of Florence in the end of his preface at Poesie scelte of Lerro (Zona: 2010) stated that "Between despair and dreaming, the poetic voice of Lerro shows a peculiar, expressive power modulated with images (that are often surprising) and a techniques in rhyme and metre that is often masterful".

One of his 2015 dramas, Donna Giovanna, l'ingannatrice di Salerno, was the subject of a Master's degree from a student of the University of Palermo. The same dissertation became the basis for a critical volume about the figure of a female and bisexual Don Giovanni, first performed at the Biblioteca Marucelliana. Maria Teresa Chialant, Professor of English Literature at the Università degli Studi di Salerno stressed the "deep complexity" of Lerro's writing in the review of his dystopian novel 2084: Il potere dell'immortalità nelle città del dolore. In 2009, in the critical volume Gli occhi sulla critica (Zona: 2009) edited by Maria Rosaria La Marca, Nelo Risi stressed that in the poetry of Lerro there were "few illusions, and minimal comforts"; Cesare Segre defined Lerro's poetry "challenging"; Valerio Magrelli affirmed he was "particularly struck by Lerro's poems"; Guido Ceronetti sent his "best wishes to this melancholy twilight voice"; Alessandro Serpieri (writer) said that Lerro had "an authentic poetic voice". In 2008 Mondadori’s literary magazine Nuovi Argomenti selected Lerro as one of the poets to represent the new generation of poets born in the 1980s.

Work

Menotti Lerro at The University of Reading, Poetry Reading, 2011

Lerro has written several books of poetry and prose. Some of his works have been translated into other languages such as Poeme Alese. ISBN 978-8874143764 Search this book on . He also has visual poetry including Ritagli, consisting of 30 canvases, shown in Berlin, Milan, Florence, Omignano, Vallo della Lucania and Salerno (Pinacoteca di Salerno, Santa Maria de Lama's church and ipogeo del Complesso Monumentale di San Pietro a Corte) The 30 canvases were finally exposed in a "permanent exhibition" in Crescella Square in Roccadaspide for wish of the mayor Gabriele Iuliano.

Donna Giovanna, l'ingannatrice di Salerno seducing her waitress

He produced the music CD I Battiti della Notte (Lerro-Krezymon) and in 2015 three concerts have been performed in Poland: Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk, organized by Italian Institute of Culture. In 2017, he performed two concerts in Italy: Ascea and Salento, Cilento. In 2019 the concert was given in Vallo della Lucania.

Empathic Movement / Empathism / New Manifesto of Arts

The Empathic Movement, or Empathism (Italian: La Scuola Empatica / Empatismo) is a literary, artistic, philosophical and cultural movement born in Italy in 2020 within the ‘New Cultural Triangle of Ancient Cilento’: (Omignano – "The Aphorisms Village", Salento, Cilento – "The Poetry Village", Vallo della Lucania – "Seat of Contemporary Arts Centre"). Starting with the values and ideas expressed in the New Manifesto of Arts written by Menotti Lerro and Antonello Pelliccia in 2018. The manifesto - launched in 2019 at the literary Caffè Giubbe Rosse in Florence and at the Brera Academy in Milan - places empathy and the need to feel close, at the centre of the self, in contrast to previous views as isolated artists. It proposes that any creative or didactic experimentation cannot be separated from a process of identification with other's life stories. The manifesto further implies a civil promotion of the artistic society from individual and community growth, according to ethical purposes mediated by art.

Cilento International Poetry Prize

Lerro developed the Cilento International Poetry Prize (Italian: Premio Internazionale Cilento Poesia), an Italian literary prize founded in 2017 and awarded annually in Salento, Cilento – "The Poetry Village". Some of the prize awardees include: 2017 – Davide Rondoni; 2018 – Milo de Angelis; 2019 – Giampiero Neri and Vivian Lamarque; 2020 – Elio Pecora; 2021 – Dacia Maraini; - Valerio Magrelli and Tiziano Rossi; 2023 - Maurizio Cucchi and Najwan Darwish. Prizes for criticism have been awarded to: 2018 – Francesco D'Episcopo; 2019 – Umberto Curi; 2020 – Remo Bodei. Prizes for narrative have been awarded to: 2023 - Diego De Silva (writer) and Maria Rita Parsi; 2024 - Jon Fosse.

Bibliography

Poetry

• Ceppi Incerti (2003); Caffé Giubbe Rosse's series;
• Passi di Libertà Silenziose (2005);
• Senza Cielo (2006); ISBN 886042111X Search this book on .
• Tra-vestito e l'anima (2007); ISBN 9788861112070 Search this book on .
• Sento che ne è valsa la pena (2007); ISBN 9788861112452 Search this book on .
• Primavera (Poesie 1997-2007); (2008) Preface by Roberto Carifi ISBN 9-7888567-0-1227 Search this book on .
• I Dieci Comandamenti (2009); Preface by Vincenzo Guarracino ISBN 9788878484641 Search this book on .
• Gli occhi sul tempo (2009) Preface by Giorgio Barberi Squarotti and Walter Mauro ISBN 9788862660891 Search this book on .
• Profumi d'Estate (2010); Preface by Luigi Cannillo ISBN 9788864380384 Search this book on .
• Il mio bambino (2011); Preface by Roberto Carifi, Giuseppe Lupo, Francesco D'Episcopo ISBN 9788874142576 Search this book on .
• Nel nome del Padre (2012); Preface by Giuseppe Gentile (academic) ISBN 9788874143221 Search this book on .
• Gli anni di Cristo (2013); ISBN 9788864383309 Search this book on .
• Entropia del cuore (2015); Preface by Carla Perugini ISBN 9788864388762 Search this book on .
• Pane e Zucchero (2016); Preface by Giuliano Ladolfi and Carlo Franza ISBN 9788866442363 Search this book on .
• Decanto (2017); Preface by Davide Rondoni ISBN 9788866443087 Search this book on .
• Canto randagio dal Cilento (2019); ISBN 9788866444305 Search this book on .
• Estate (Poesie 2008-2020); (2020); Preface by Giampiero Neri ISBN 978-8866445388 Search this book on .
• Lockdown. Profumi d'Autunno (2022); ISBN 978-8874148806 Search this book on .
• Una nota sospesa (2023); Preface by Maurizio Cucchi ISBN 978-8874149193 Search this book on .
• Memorie e figure di fine millennio (2024); Preface by Enrico Testa ISBN 978-8874149483 Search this book on .

Narrative

• Augusto Orrel: memorie d'orrore e poesia (2007); ISBN 978-8875361266 Search this book on .
• Il diario di Mary e altri racconti (2009); ISBN 978-8895514741 Search this book on .
• Fuga da Orrel/Flucht vor Orrel (2012); (In Italian and German languages. Preface and translation by Maria Brunner) ISBN 978-8864382920 Search this book on .
• 2084. Il potere dell'immortalità nelle città del dolore (2013); ISBN 978-8864383798 Search this book on .
• I Mostri di Anoir (2019); ISBN 978-8868664671 Search this book on .

Theatre

• Donna Giovanna (2015); ISBN 9788864385709 Search this book on .
• Il gorilla (2015); ISBN 978-8874144945 Search this book on .
• L'ingannatrice di Salerno. Donna Giovanna, Preface by Maria Rita Parsi and Francesco D'Episcopo (Multiple-language version: English, Spanish, Romanian and Italian - 2016); ISBN 978-8864386089 Search this book on .
• Donna Giovanna, l'ingannatrice di Salerno (2017 - Opera Libretto) Prefaces by Maurizio Cucchi and Enrico Renna; ISBN 978-8864386980 Search this book on .
• Il Dottor Faust (2018), Preface by Maria Rita Parsi; ISBN 978-8864387543 Search this book on .
• La solitudine dei miti (2021), (This volume contains also a Russian version by Valentina Sentsova of the drama Donna Giovanna); ISBN 978-8874148226 Search this book on .

Aphorisms

• Aforismi (2008); ISBN 978-8863070330 Search this book on .
• Aforismi di una notte (2008); ISBN 9788863070132 Search this book on .
• Aforismi e Pensieri. Cinquecento gocce dal mio mare (2013); ISBN 978-8864383446 Search this book on .

Poetry in translation

• Poesias elegidas: translated into Spanish by Ana Maria Pinedo Lopez; Preface by Carla Perugini, Alessandro Serpieri (writer) and Gabriela Fantato (Zona: 2010); ISBN 978-8864381428 Search this book on .
• Selected Poems: translated into English by Andrew Mangham and Maria Rosaria La Marca (Genesi: 2011); ISBN 978-8874142774 Search this book on .
• Poeme alese: transleted into Romanian by Simona Samulescu (Genesi: 2013); ISBN 978-8874143764 Search this book on .

Music CD

• I Battiti della Notte (Zona: 2015); (with Tomasz Krezymon). ISBN 978-8864385952 Search this book on .

Criticism

• I Poeti Senza Cielo (2007); ISBN 88-6111-276-5 Search this book on .
• L'io lirico nella poesia autobiografica (Zona: 2009); (this volume contains interviews to: Giorgio Barberi Squarotti, Franco Buffoni, Roberto Carifi, Franco Loi, Maurizio Cucchi, Giancarlo Pontiggia, Folco Portinari, and others); ISBN 978-8864380285 Search this book on .
• La tela del poeta (Genesi: 2010); ISBN 9788874142453 Search this book on .
• Raccontarsi in versi. La poesia autobiografica in Inghilterra e in Spagna (1950-1980), (Carocci: 2012); ISBN 978-8843063802 Search this book on .
• Autobiographical Poetry in England and Spain, 1950-1980: Narrating oneself in verse (Cambridge Scholars Publishing: 2017); ISBN 978-1443832748 Search this book on .
• The Body in Autobiography and Autobiographical Novels. The Importance of Being Normal (Cambridge Scholars Publishing: 2018); ISBN 978-1527505667 Search this book on .
• New Manifesto of Arts (Zona: 2020); ASIN B08F2M1785
• La Scuola Empatica (Ladolfi: 2020); ISBN 978-8866445678 Search this book on .
• The Empathic Movement (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2023); ISBN 978-1527538573 Search this book on . Hardback edition
• The Empathic Movement (Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2024); ISBN 978-1-0364-0996-8 Search this book on . Paperback edition

Books published using heteronyms

• With the name Augusto Orrel, Storie (2007); ISBN 978-8861111387 Search this book on .
• With the name Serse Monetti, Storia di un cilentano in giro per il Mondo (2008); ISBN 978-8863070361 Search this book on .

Additional bibliography

• A biographical sketch on "biografieonline";
• Gli occhi sulla critica, edited by Maria Rosaria La Marca (Zona editrice: 2010); ISBN 978-8864381145 Search this book on .
• The Poetry of Menotti Lerro, edited by Andrew Mangham (Cambridge Scholars Publishing: 2011); ISBN 978-1443828444 Search this book on . Hardcover.
• The Poetry of Menotti Lerro, edited by Andrew Mangham (Cambridge Scholars Publishing: 2012); ISBN 978-1443840224 Search this book on . Paperback enlarged version.
• Menotti Lerro. Tra Drammaturgia e Narrativa, edited by Francesco D'Episcopo (Genesi editrice: 2019); ISBN 978-8874147199 Search this book on .
• «Entropia del cuore» di Menotti Lerro. Segreti e suggestioni, edited by Francesco D'Episcopo (Genesi editrice: 2020); ISBN 978-8864388762 Search this book on .
• «Donna Giovanna» di Menotti Lerro. L'innovazione del mito, edited by Sara Cudia (Zona editrice: 2020); ISBN 978-8864388779 Search this book on .
• Maria Teresa Chialant, "2084. Il potere dell'immortalità nelle città del dolore", IF edited by Riccardo Gramantieri e Giuseppe Panella, Odoya publishing, N. 20/2016, pp. 164-165; ISBN 978-8862883559 Search this book on .
• Francesco D'Episcopo, "Il Cilento nel mondo attraverso la voce di Menotti Lerro", in "Riscontri" (Magazine), AD XLIV. N. 3. Settembre-Dicembre 2023, pp. 125-128; ISBN 978-8-8313-4077-9 Search this book on .
• Maurizio Cucchi, "La modernità del Movimento Empatico", on the daily newspaper Avvenire, 15 June 2024, p.16.
• Maurizio Cucchi, "E' assai arduo l'uso della rima", La Stampa, 2006.
• Maurizio Cucchi, "Cosa intendono i poeti quando dicono 'io'", on the daily newspaper Avvenire, 12 December, 2012, p. 22.
• Francesco D'Episcopo, "Sinerge. Scuola Eleatica, Scuola Medica, Scuola Empatica: il triangolo culturale del territorio salernitano, da Parmenide a Lerro"; In "Riscontri" (Magazine), pp. 13-14. Anno XLIV - N.2 Maggio-Agosto 2022, edited by Ettore Barra ISSN: 0392-5080; ISBN 978-8831340519 Search this book on .
• Gino Ruozzi, "Rime che fanno il verso all'aforisma", Il Sole 24 ore, 22 July, 2012, p. 16.
• Luigi Leuzzi, "L'importanza simbolica della "Piramide Culturale del Cilento" ideata da Menotti Lerro", In "Riscontri" (Magazine), pp. 79-80. Anno XLIV - N.2 Maggio-Agosto 2022, edited by Ettore Barra ISSN: 0392-5080; ISBN 978-8831340519 Search this book on .
• Carlo Carabba (edited by), Nuovi Argomenti, Mondadori, "Non ancora trentenni", "Menotti Lerro. Senza volto né voce" N. 41, quinta serie, Gennaio – Marzo 2008, pp. 194–195; ISBN 978-8804579694 Search this book on .
• Gabriella Sica, Scrivere in versi, "La poesia degli anni dieci" (Il Saggiatore: 2011), p. 256; ISBN 978-8856502855 Search this book on .
• Vincenzo Schettino, La Decima Musa (Firenze University Press: 2016), p. 260; ISBN 978-8864533018 Search this book on .
• Davide Puccini "Review at Gli occhi sul tempo (2009)" ISBN 978-8862660891 Search this book on .; On "Poesia" (Crocetti), Mensile Internazionale di Cultura Poetica, Anno XXII, Novembre 2009, N. 243, pp. 62–63.
• Giancarlo Pontiggia, Review of Primavera of Menotti Lerro (2008); On the literary magazine "Testo. Studi e Teoria e Storia della Letteratura e della Critica" N° 59 – Nuova Serie. Anno XXXI. Gennaio-Giugno 2010.
• Three poems by Menotti Lerro on the literary magazine "ClanDestino", edited by Davide Rondoni
• On Italian Literature since 1900 in English Translation (edited by Robin Healey), University of Toronto Press (2019).
• On "The European Journal of life writing", volume X (2021), edited by J Görbert, ML Hansen, JC Wolf, "The self in verse. Exploring Autobiographical Poetry".
• On "Poezia", Romanian revista de cultura poetica, edited by Marius Chelaru (writer), Anul XX, nr. 4 (74) iarna 2015, pp. 177–180; ISSN 1582-0890
• A biographical sketch and poems of Menotti Lerro on the Italian literary magazine "Vernice", Anno XIX n°49, pp. 287–295; ISBN 978-8874144099 Search this book on .
• Some poems of Menotti Lerro on the American literary magazine "Gradiva. International Journal of Italian Poetry", Number 39/40 Spring/Fall 2011, pp. 103–104; ISSN 0363-8057.
• Roberto Carifi on Menotti Lerro, in the International literary magazine "Poesia", Crocetti editore, Anno XVI, Febbraio 2003, N. 169, p.77.
• Roberto Carifi on Ceppi incerti (2003), in "Poesia", Anno XVI, Giugno 2003, N. 173, p. 77.
• Roberto Carifi on Senza cielo (2006), in "Poesia", Anno XIX, Settembre 2006, N. 208, p. 77.
• Roberto Carifi on Menotti Lerro in "Poesia", Anno XX, Giugno 2007, N. 217, p. 77.
• Roberto Carifi on Primavera (2008), in "Poesia", Anno XX, Novembre 2007, N. 221, p. 78.
• Roberto Carifi on I Poeti Senza Cielo (2007), in "Poesia", Anno XXI, Marzo 2008, N. 225, p. 78.
• Roberto Carifi on Gli occhi sul tempo (2009), in "Poesia", Anno XXII, Febbraio 2009, N. 235, p. 77.
• Roberto Carifi on Profumi d'Estate (2010), in "Poesia", Anno XXIII, Aprile 2010, N. 248, p. 77.
• Roberto Carifi on Nel nome del padre (2012), in "Poesia", Anno XXV, Maggio 2012, N. 271, p. 78.
• Carlo Franza, "La poesia di Menotti Lerro, fra recupero d'infanzia e vita d'esilio", Il Giornale, 2016.
• Carlo Franza, "Decanto di Menotti Lerro. Nuovo libro di poesie di un poeta italiano che racconta la sua esistenza.", Il Giornale, 2017.

External links

• Official website
• Menotti Lerro presents his discourse "On the Arts" (In Italian: "Sulle Arti") became the "New Manifesto on the Arts".
• Interview in Italian to 7 Gold
• Interview in Arabic for "Alaraby.co.uk" The New Arab
• Interview with "Alaraby-The New Arab", Italian version reinterpreted by Pasquale Scaldaferri, journalist for rainews
• Some poems translated in Arabic language The New Arab
• Four poems by Menotti Lerro translated into English
• Five hundred aphorisms of Menotti Lerro on "meglio.it"
• Menotti Lerro on Open Library
• Menotti Lerro at All Music
• Menotti Lerro at MusicBrainz
• Menotti Lerro at Discogs
• Menotti Lerro quoted on It's Psychedelic Baby! Magazine.

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