It is official news: Argonauts in the Gulf of the Gods, with the title Aquae Mundi - a Poetic Journey through the Waters of the World, will be one of the events at the opening of Piccolo Spoleto and the Stories for Life Festival 2008, to be held on Friday, May 23, 2008!

As in the Italian event, the magical arrival of the 45 foot sailboat, Mobjack, from the sea, will majestically initiate this program, bearing a potent cargo of internationally renowned poets and musicians. These creative bards will have embarked upon the vessel before sunset and shall return, enveloped by the night, to the dock by the Charleston Aquarium around 9:30 p.m. Their arrival will be celebrated by glowing lights and a rendition of Wagner's "Flying Dutchman". Paola Polito, a lovely contralto, will sing two additional arias later, alternating with poetic readings that touch the soul, performed by the gifted Italian poets Tonelli and Maggiari. English translations will be read by Anne Lowndes.

Professor Adriana Beverini will be present, as President of the Literary Park "Eugenio Montale", and will report the event for the daily paper "La Nazione". She will bring a flag and the greetings of the Italian city of Lerici. A colorful procession will follow, led by Glen Velez, a three time Grammy Award winner and one of the most famous percussionists in the world, and Lori Cotler, an amazing vocalist of international fame. There will be musicians on stilts and a fire-eater from the group theatre, Nouvelle Lune. The procession will end at the Maritime Center stage, where the grand finale will take place, with entrancing poetry readings, culminating in a crescendo in which both the poets and musicians will perform together to the mesmerizing rhythm and songs provided by Velez and Cotler. Next to the stage, dancers and actors will perform in a beautiful labyrinth created with hundreds of tealights, built by artist Giuliano Diofili where, in closing, a vision of Orpheus will appear.

Tonelli and Maggiari will read texts by Giuseppe Conte, Apollonius, Dante, W. B. Yeats, Saba, T. S. Eliot, Campana, Homer, Melville, Conrad. Dr. Flaminio Di Biagi will accompany the event with explanatory remarks.

Presented as part of the Stories for Life Festival 2008 and Piccolo Spoleto, in cooperation with The City of Charleston's Office of Cultural Affairs.

In Charleston, Aquae Mundi will take place with the sponsorship of the Dino Olivetti Foundation, the College of Charleston, the Cultural Association Arthena, Alenia USA, and the Mediterranean Shipping Company, under the direction of Massimo Maggiari in collaboration with Angelo Tonelli, who is the creator and director of the event in Lerici, since June 2000.

If you would like to be a sponsor for this event, please contact Dr. Maggiari at maggiarim@cofc.edu