merrijig word & sound co.
A Leopard's Kiss
From the mountains of an
ancient Sicilian village, to
the ornate cafes and lounges
of Palermo...
From the humid North
Queensland cane-fields, to a
Catholic convent in
Melbourne’s north...
A Leopard’s Kiss entwines two
dreamlike stories of change
and becoming.
In a time of upheaval, Tomasi
di Lampedusa, the last Prince
in a long and noble Sicilian
line, endures the frustration
and joy of writing his famous
novel, The Leopard, whilst
nearby a young couple farewell
their home to settle in far-
off Australia.
Beautifully written in a
sparkling and poetic style,
A Leopard’s Kiss provides a
vivid new account of the
pathos of migration.
launch of A Leopard’s Kiss
Saturday July 23 3.30 pm – 5.30 pm Italian Institute of Culture, Melbourne
233 Domain Road, South Yarra
July 23 is the anniversary of the death of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the great Sicilian writer who wrote the
international best seller Il Gattopardo – The Leopard.
To celebrate the occasion, Marisa will be accompanied by writer and broadcaster, Elly Varrenti (Radio National’s
Life Matters and Book Show) and Professor John Gatt-Rutter from La Trobe University’s Italian Australian Institute.
Mikelangelo (Mikelangelo and The Black Sea Gentlemen) will provide music & repartee and Dr Flavia Coassin will
recite excerpts in Italian and English from Tomasi di Lampedusa’s Il Gattopardo. All in the apt surrounds of Billy
Doollen’s paintings of Sicily ‘Between Sea and Sky’ and the Biennale Venezia: Italian Pavilion in the World project
showcasing Italian Australian artists.