Fondazione Bufalino Celebrates Centenary of Writer Gesualdo Bufalino

The Fondazione Gesualdo Bufalino in Comiso is dedicating 2020 to the centenary of the birth of Gesualdo Bufalino (Comiso, 1920 – Vittoria, 1996), a major figure in contemporary Italian literature. Bufalino, a teacher for most of his life, debuted late at age 61 in 1981 with the novel "Diceria dell'untore," encouraged by Elvira Sellerio and his close friend Leonardo Sciascia. The foundation, established in 1999 by the Comune di Comiso and Bufalino's widow, is organizing a rich program of events spanning literature, theater, cinema, and music, including a new bibliographic and documentary exhibition titled "Il miracolo del Bis. Carte, libri e memorie di Gesualdo Bufalino." Renovation of the foundation's premises in Piazza delle Erbe, located in the neoclassical former Mercato Casmeneo, is underway and will be completed in time for the exhibition. The foundation houses Bufalino's private library of 10,000 volumes, his manuscripts, correspondence, a complete corpus of his works, a periodical collection, a video library, and a record collection reflecting his passion for cinema and music. Highlights include the presentation of "Indice dei film visti da Bufalino" during the summer film festival at Castello di Donnafugata, and on November 15, the exact centenary, a jazz concert featuring saxophonist Francesco Cafiso and artist Giovanni Robustelli with readings of Bufalino's writings on music.