’A Livella
'A Livella (Italian: La Livella) is a poem in Italian and Neapolitan written by Totò.
Outline
The poem is set in a graveyard, where a person is accidentally locked inside its gates. He overhears a conversation between two shadows: a marquess and a waste collector. The marquess is complaining about the fact that the waste collector's tombstone is right next to his, but the garbageman remarks that he didn't get to choose where to be buried. Since the marquess doesn't stop with his complaint, the garbageman loses his temper and tells him that, no matter what people are or do in life, once one is dead, they are equal to all others.
Songs
Song versions of the 'A Livella have been performed by a variety of artists, notably the ones sung by Enzo Avitabile and Giacomo Rondinella.
Movies
The Neapolitan cultural association "Bottega di Steli" has produced a cinematographic version of the poem, first shown to the public during the 11th Ischia Film Festival in 2013.
External links
- 'A livella + 5 clip video in Italian, English and Spanish
- The poem's text plus audio and videoclip on antoniodecurtis.com
- 'A Livella di Totò in spagnolo nella traduzione di Mario Neri
- Traduzioni in varie lingue e dialetti antoniodecurtis.com
- Totò-'A Livella: videoarte nell'ambito dell'undicesima edizione dell'Ischia Film Festival 2013