Conferred today, 13 April, to Claudio Baglioni by the mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, the Capitoline Wolf, the highest honor awarded to particularly illustrious and deserving figures of the Capital.
Reasons for the award
Baglioni “is a unique artist, a poet, an author of beautiful music and also an innovator in his musical experience, which was able to blend genres and have a unique and recognizable imprint in the lyrics and harmonies, which make many of his songs masterpieces that will remain forever in the hearts of Italians”, said Gualtieri handing him the honor in the Capitol .
Baglioni, added the mayor of Rome, “is a great artist, he is Roman and he was able to describe Rome in a truly unique way“, he “knew how to transform the themes from which he drew inspiration into poetry”. Gualtieri then recalled the social commitment of the Roman singer-songwriter: “Baglioni is also a person who is committed to rights, to giving something – he underlined – We also want to express our affection, recognition and gratitude to him for this activity.”
“Claudio Baglioni’s bond with Rome has lasted his whole life. In his long career, which began 60 years ago, he made all of Italy fall in love with him, but he never forgot his city and his fellow citizens. This is demonstrated by the continuous testimonies and Baglioni’s declarations of affection for Rome”, said the Councilor for Major Events, Tourism, Fashion and Sport of Rome Capital, Alessandro Onorato. The improvised concert in 2007 on a balcony in Centocelle, where his journey started, was unforgettable . But also the free show on the Ostia roundabout in 1995, with the public coming all the way to Cristoforo Colombo to listen to it: many people still remember that moment. This is why I am happy and proud to have welcomed him to the Capitoline Hill today with Mayor Gualtieri to present him with the Capitoline Wolf, Rome’s highest honour. A deserved recognition for Baglioni who with his music has marked generations and written indelible pages of the city’s culture.”
From Vasco to Paola Cortellesi, to whom the Lupa went
In January, the award was awarded to actress Paola Cortellesi, fresh from the enormous critical and public success of her first film as director, ‘There’s Still Tomorrow’. Before her, many stars honored by the honor, from Vasco Rossi to Maneskin.
The singer-songwriter’s dedication
“I am grateful to Roberto Gualtieri, mayor of Rome, and to all those who confer this award on me today. I would like to say that, perhaps for the first time, I think of dedicating this recognition to two people, Silvia and Riccardo, who are my father and my mother”, Baglioni said as he received the Lupa. “Not being Romans, as soon as the war ended they thought they would find the promised land by coming from an Umbrian town to the capital”, added the artist, explaining that the parents’ decision “was taken to leave a stingy countryside and come to the great city that was a bit of an emblem of the future”, to escape “a catastrophe that was the war”.
War “which strangely we find ourselves talking about again after a few years”, underlines Baglioni. 136 kilometres, those traveled by the singer’s parents, “which they did flying, on the wings of hope with the certainty that their future would be something better. Thanks to these two boys who came down to Rome flying and gave birth to me here”.
The beginnings in Centocelle and perhaps a return
In Centocelle, Baglioni signed up for the new voices competition at a very young age, exactly sixty years ago, and then exploded into a stellar career. “This award confirms to me that not everything I have done has been in vain, something remains”, says the singer-songwriter to applause. Who smiles: “Rome is absolutely the city in which I have performed the most”.
A concert in Centocelle? “It could be that there is a blitz of this type”, says Baglioni, thus responding to the invitation of the president of the first municipality. “It’s a very kind invitation”, adds Baglioni, who admits: “I have a lot of modesty about returning to the places where I was born and raised. For me there is a sense of belonging that is not only historical but sentimental”.
