Hecuba by Euripides the last role that Ileana played on the 2nd december 2005 struck down by an aneurism in the second performance that day ……….declaiming : ” an eye for an eye when will it ever end………….” She really believed it and it was at that moment that she was taken from us. Ghandi said “If the populations continue to take an eye for an eye ,in a short time this will be the land of the blind………..” This is our history This is our present This is the world we live in . Human nature does not change but our attitude and awareness can and should . It is only through Art,History,Culture and Communication that we can learn and improve ………….. Ileana was a great example of someone who gave without expecting anything in return……………a great example of simplicity and modesty . Let us not forget. She died in my arms declaring her love for me and thanking me for our life together(.Almost thirty years had passed since she was my pupil in Siena for Lydia Agostis class ” Da schoenberg ad Oggi” in which I was her assistant.) She said …no declaimed
…….. that she was the happiest and most fulfilled person that she could imagine .She said it was like Manon Lescaut and made me promise no rhetoric.This is life were her last words taken from the play she loved playing so much by Pirandello:”La vita che ti diedi” infact it was the final line in every sense. Those around her in the hospital where she was taken have never forgotten.
…….. that she was the happiest and most fulfilled person that she could imagine .She said it was like Manon Lescaut and made me promise no rhetoric.This is life were her last words taken from the play she loved playing so much by Pirandello:”La vita che ti diedi” infact it was the final line in every sense. Those around her in the hospital where she was taken have never forgotten.L’ultimo ruolo di Ileana. Ecuba di Euripide. Durante la seconda replica quel giorno e’ stata stroncata da un aneurismo proprio nel momento quando dichiarava :” Un occhio per un occhio quando mai finira” Credeva davvero ed era in quel momento che si e’ accosciata per terra sul palcoscenico di suo amato Teatro – nostro figlio infatti.
Ghandi ha detto:”Se i popoli continuano nella practica di togliere occhio per occhio,in breve tempo avremo un mondo dei ciechi” Questa e’ anche la nostra storia. Questo e’ il nostro presente. Questo il mondo in cui viviamo.
Ileana era una grande esempio di una che dava senza aspettando niente in ritorno…un grande esempio di modestia e semplicita’. Non dimentichiamo E morta tra le mie braccia dichiarando suo amore per me e ringraziandome per la nostra lunga vita insieme.Quasi trent’anni infatti. Declamava che era la persona piu’ felice che poteva immaginare .
E come Manont Lescaut diceva .
Mi ha fatto promettere niente retorica .
La vita e’ questa era sua ultime parole prioprio come la dramma di Pirandello che amava recitare cosi tanto “La vita che ti diedi”
E‘cosi era
Quelli intorno all’ospedale dove abbiamo portato non dimenticheranno mai.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 