Fondazione La Notte della Taranta has its new president.
The assembly of members-composed of representatives of the Apulia Region, Union of Municipalities of Salentinian Greece, and the “Diego Carpitella” Institute-unanimously elected Massimo Bray, who succeeds Massimo Manera, who resigned from the post.
Massimo Bray returns after 11 years at the helm of the Foundation, which he chaired from 2010 to 2013. “I want to thank everyone, starting with President Emiliano and the heads of the Grecìa salentina and the Diego Carpitella Institute, for the honor of chairing the Foundation, commented Massimo Bray. I also want to thank Massimo Manera, who for more than 10 years has passionately presided over what is one of the most important cultural realities in our country. At this moment I am saddened not to be able to share this news with Sergio Torsello with whom I had the first experience, the deep knowledge of the pizzica, I will miss them. In the coming days I will meet with the Popular Orchestra that continues to make this immense intangible heritage known in the world and that on June 25 will represent Italy in Azerbaijan on Republic Day in Baku.”
Massimo Bray has been director general of the Italian Encyclopedia Institute founded by Giovanni Treccani since 2015, after serving as its editorial director (1994-2013) and head of the Modern History section (since 1991). From 2010 to 2013 he chaired the board of directors of the La Notte della Taranta foundation. On April 28, 2013, he was appointed minister of heritage, cultural activities and tourism in the government headed by Enrico Letta. In March 2015, after 22 months in the Chamber of Deputies, he resigned as a parliamentarian. As president of the Foundation for Books, Music and Culture, he was in charge of the 2017 and 2018 editions of the Turin Book Fair. From 2019 to 2021 he taught History of Publishing at the Suor Orsola Benincasa University of Naples. From Nov. 19, 2020 to Nov. 21, 2021, he was Councillor for Culture and Tourism of the Apulia Region. He published the book Alla voce Cultura. A suspended diary of my experience as a minister (Manni 2019).
Also elected is the Foundation's new Board of Directors, which will be composed of Graziano Vantaggiato representing the Union of Municipalities of Salento Greece, Dina Manti reappointed by the Region of Puglia and the mayor of Melpignano Valentina Avantaggiato for the Diego Carpitella Institute.
The Foundation's organizational machine is already at work for the most anticipated event of the Italian summer: the Itinerant Festival that will culminate as always with the final stage of the Concertone scheduled for August 24 in Melpignano.
