It was meant to put the Marche Region on the map: an advertisement featuring two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman strolling in the breathtaking Marche countryside whilst reciting poetry by one of the Region’s greatest sons, Giacomo Leopardi [1798 – 1837]. The President of the Region, Gian Marco Spacca, had been smiling for weeks and at last the great day, and the 72-year-old actor, arrived.
Hoffman had been tutored in Italian by a vocal coach and filming began under the direction of theatre Giampiero Solari, amid much media attention.
Hoffman paced a stage and strolled among the Region’s hills as required. He did his best to recite “L’Infinito”, a poem which is generally regarded as Leopardi’s greatest work and in which the poet reflects upon eternity. It is, perhaps, not the jolliest of poems for an advertisement.
A preliminary version of the advertisement was released on youtube and the result was certainly not what Mr Spacca had hoped for.
Hoffman, said youtube commenters, was “butchering” the Italian language. Worse was to come when journalist Elsa Muschella said in Corriere della Sera that, although Hoffman was committed to the project, commitment could not bridge the “astronomical gap” between Hoffman’s pronunciation and the Italian ear. For good measure she added that Hoffman “stumbles over the eternal words of Leopardi”.
Mr Spacca quickly defended the advertisement, saying that Hoffman’s difficulties with the Italian language could “symbolise the more universal one of coming closer to an unknown culture.”
However, the critic Mario Andrea Rigoni, who has edited a collection of Leopardi’s verse, said that he did not think that Hoffman would be able to render the “secret complexity” of the lines.
Francesco Sabatini, Hon. President of the Accademia della Crusca, on the other hand, told Corriere della Sera that having a famous foreigner read the poem could demonstrate that Italy’s literary treasures are of interest to other cultures.
Meanwhile, some youtube commenters are changing their minds, having realised that this episode has given the Marche more media coverage than it has had in decades. The final version of the advertisement was launched yesterday and Mr Spacca is sure that it will be a success.
The advertisement will be shown on Rai and Sky Italia from 24th January to 13th February in 7, 15 and 30 second versions. A two-minute version will be shown in cinemas across Italy.
What do you find most difficult about the Italian language?
