Maria Corti Festival

The fifth edition of the Maria Corti Festival, directed by Paola Moscardino and promoted by Otranto Culture with the Municipality of Otranto, chose the theme "Between Science and Humanism": a reflection on the value of the complexity of human experience and the need for an integrated vision of knowledge. The festival was supported by the University of Salento and the Manuscript Center of the University of Pavia, in collaboration with the Maria Corti Foundation.

Among the new features of this edition was the Podcast Room at the Aragonese Castle, created with SUR - Radio Università del Salento, and a photography contest aimed at schools in Otranto, Maglie, and Martano on the theme "You sea, innumerable language," inspired by Gesualdo Bufalino. The urban games inspired by L'ora di tutti and the Kids section for families were also confirmed.

Friday, June 12

• 17:00 — Children's workshop "Literary heroes, everyday heroes"
• 18:30 — Palazzo de' Mori: talk "Rigor and imagination. The double as a method in Maria Corti" with Giorgio Panizza, Mariarosa Bricchi, Marzio Porro, Roberto Vetrugno, and Paola Moscardino

Saturday, June 13

• 05:00 — Punta Palascìa Lighthouse: "The Places of Maria Corti - Special Edition: Sunrise at Palascìa Lighthouse", sunrise readings with organetto accompaniment
• 10:00 — Aragonese Castle: Cyanotype workshop "Between Art and Science", led by artist Serena Leone
• 17:30 — Piazza Umanità migrante: theatrical tour "Otranto 1480 - With the characters of L'ora di tutti"
• 18:30 — Lega Navale: talk "Between logos and nanotechnologies" with Flavia Frisone, Marco Mazzeo, and Lorenzo Pavolini
• 21:00 — Aragonese Castle: national premiere recital by Enrico Terrinoni, "From Einstein to Joyce. Waves, quanta, and the relativity of the word"

Sunday, June 14

• 10:00 — Maglie (via Francesco Piccinno 17): "The Places of Maria Corti - Maglie", tour of the places of Corti's education
• 17:00 — Porta Terra: urban game "Idrusa", by ArtEscape
• 18:00 — Aragonese Castle: radio dialogue "Can you hear it at the back?" with Stefano Cristante, Lorenzo Pavolini, and SUR Radio
• 18:30 — Le Fabbriche community library (port): talk "Science and vision: the stories that changed the world" with Cristina Mangia
• 20:30 — Aragonese Castle: talk "Bodies, languages, futures" with Nicoletta Vallorani and Flavio Santi, followed by the School Photography Contest awards ceremony
• 22:00 — Aragonese Castle: concert "Sound Cartographies of the South" by Trio Porto Madera

How to get there

Otranto can be reached by car via the Maglie-Otranto expressway, exiting from the SS16 or SS275. By train, the reference station on the Ferrovie del Sud Est line is Otranto (connections via Maglie/Lecce); the nearest airport is Brindisi-Papola Casale, followed by Bari-Palese.

Where it takes place

Events are held in the historic center of Otranto: Aragonese Castle, Palazzo de' Mori, Lega Navale, Le Fabbriche community library at the port, and the Punta Palascìa Lighthouse (accessible by car along the coastal road to Santa Maria di Leuca).

Admission

Festival events are generally free of charge; reservations may be required for workshops and certain activities. For the updated program and access details, please check the official website festivalmariacorti.it and the Otranto Culture channels.