Many friends gathered in Villa Arconati in Castellazzo di Bollate to remember Dario Zigiotto on Saturday 13 April. Dario Zigiotto, who passed away on January 30th, he would have turned 70 that very day. To celebrate the anniversary, family, friends and colleagues met in the Ballroom of Villa Arconati in Castellazzo di Bollate for a touching commemoration. In that same Villa (kindly granted by the Rancilio Foundation) which saw him as a protagonist for years as one of the promoters of the Festival. A collective moment of commemoration of his figure rich in multiple facets: human, social, cultural, musical above all, as well as to underline his significant role in the Bollatese community.
Various testimonies followed, each relating to a specific area in which Dario left an indelible mark, starting with the music journalist Enzo Gentile, who recalled the start of their relationship which began with the first edition of the Festival.
Mauro Milani, his inseparable classmate, had the task of recalling the carefree nature of the numerous summer holidays spent up and down Italy.
Dario Zigiotto remembered at Villa Arconati
In his written contribution, Paolo Nizzola unrolled the album of childhood memories, the games in the courtyard of the San Domenico Island, the common frequenting of the San Carlo bar, which was followed over the years by occasional professional relationships, always characterized by cordiality, until to the most recent meetings at the local newsstand.
Giordano Minora remembered him among the founders of the Bollate Jazz Meeting Association, which he joined with his usual enthusiasm, and then read an email of praise and encouragement for the launch of the BollateOggi blog in 2020, which he did not fail to mention give its contribution, recognizing the validity of the tool for the transmission of the popular history of the city.
Dario’s youthful political activity, in the Catholic movement of the ACLI, was traced by Angelo Volpi who underlined the acumen and lightning-fast intuitions with which he animated the assemblies.
Simona Montissori instead highlighted his fundamental role in the establishment of the Arcobaleno building cooperative, of which he was president, which allowed the construction of the residential complex in via Pellico with the aim of satisfying the housing needs of many citizens.
Our friend Franco Averna retraced the years of the adventure of Radio Antenna Bollate Centrale and the consequent spirit of freedom that arose from the birth of free radios in Italy which also involved many young people from our city, including invariably Dario.
Then other testimonies including those of the singer Ricky Gianco and one of the founders and historic presenter of the Club Tenco of Sanremo. In all the interventions, Dario’s great ability to generate human relationships emerged, relationships based on sympathy and lightness. Typical characteristics of his eclectic personality.
There were many people present for this “secular party” and just as many would have liked to be there, but the “ballroom” could not accommodate everyone due to capacity problems. However, there will be an appointment during the evenings of the next edition of the festival, which will allow Dario to be remembered in the place he was so fond of.
