Photo: DOI - Jeremy Wonnacott
1st November 2018, Presentation of "Carlo Magri - Drammaturgo maltese (1617-1693) Vita e Opere", an important contribution to the field by Dr Mario Pace (Languages & Humanities in Education). The event was held at the Istituto italiano the Cultura, and included official addresses by the Director Dott Masimo Sarti and by H.E. Mario Sammartino, Ambassador of Italy. Judge Giovanni Bonello and Prof Joseph Eynaud provided reflections on this important work, followed by some remarks by Dr Mario Pace himself.
The first part of the book presents a comprehensive picture of Carlo Magri’s life, from his early years till death, as well as of various religious, social, cultural and linguistic aspects of late 17th century Malta and Gozo. After having his first education at the Jesuits’ College in Valletta, Carlo Magri pursued his studies in Rome. Here he was ordained priest, graduated dottore in utroque iure, was appointed Protonotario Apostolico at the Vatican and then, in 1667, he became, on the direct request of Pope Alexander VII, the first Primo Custode of the Biblioteca Alessandrina in Rome. Following his return to Gozo, where he was appointed parish priest of the sister island, he proved to be a very intelligent, astute and persuasive man, capable of solving in his favour all the problems with which he was faced, thanks, not just to his capabilities, but also to his contacts with high profile people like Pope Alexander VII. He was also a fervid writer. The second part of the book deals with Magri’s literary works which include 2 three-act plays written under the pseudonym of ‘Marco Largi, maltese’, a “libello” entitled Il valore maltese difeso da Carlo Magri della Valletta contro le calunnie di Girolamo Brusoni, and a Lettera scritta dal Sig. don Carlo Magri all’abate don Cornelio Margarini circa le pitture del settimo secolo, e seguenti, all of which have been transcribed. Magri was the first Maltese to ever have his plays published in Italy.