Author Conversations – Literary Encounters in Scopello: the full 2026 programme.

An edition that weaves together storytelling, music and art.

From 18 July to 10 August 2026, Agriturismo Tenute Plaia opens its doors to the new edition of "Conversazioni d'Autore". Six evenings in which literary storytelling intertwines with artistic suggestions and musical nuances, in a journey spanning historical fiction, noir, family sagas, and some of the most original non-fiction around.

Each evening follows the same ritual, which over the years has become a small tradition for our guests: the book presentation with special guests in conversation with the author, the book signing, and finally a free aperitivo on the sea-view terrace — this year accompanied by wines from Tenute Plaia's own production.

 

Ten years of books, encounters and shared stories.

Conversazioni d'Autore is one of the most eagerly awaited cultural events of the Scopello summer. Born from the desire to create a meeting place for writers, journalists, readers and travelers, the festival has grown into a tradition where books stop being just a collection of pages and become dialogue, exchange and shared emotion.

This year we celebrate a special milestone — a decade of authors, readers and sunsets that, meeting after meeting, have become a landmark for residents, tourists and literature lovers alike.

 

The 2026 Conversazioni d'Autore programme:

Saturday 18 July – 6:45 PM

"La Mala Notte" – Ugo Barbàra (Rizzoli).

The third installment in the Malarazza saga, this novel takes the reader from rural Sicily to 1957 Havana, amid the American mafia, the Batista regime, and a revolution already at the gates. A family drama full of tension and twists. The author is in conversation with Rai journalist Tiziana Martorana.

 

Saturday 25 July – 6:45 PM

"Canzoni liofilizzate. Lettura semiseria dei testi della musica italiana" – Mario Valentini (Il Palindromo).

What's left of a song once the music and melody disappear? Through 157 lyrics "stripped" of their musical component, Mario Valentini offers an ironic and surprising reading of Italian music.

 

The author is in conversation with journalist and cultural organizer Barbara Lottero.

 

Tuesday 28 July – 6:45 PM

"La Rosa Inversa" – Maria Attanasio (Sellerio).

A finalist for the 2026 Premio Strega, Maria Attanasio takes readers on a journey through secret manuscripts, Masonic lodges and the mysteries of eighteenth-century Sicily. A historical novel by one of the most authoritative voices in contemporary Sicilian fiction.

The author is in conversation with journalist Enzo Di Pasquale and students Laura Oliva and Giuseppe Bernardi of the Liceo Classico "F. Vivona," members of the Premio Strega student jury.

 

Friday 31 July – 6:45 PM

"A ruota libera. Storie di macchine e di uomini imperfetti" – Francesco Terracina (Stratos DMP).

A story made of cars, people and memory, set in a Sicily deeply tied to the history of motoring. The book is enriched by illustrations from Valerio Spataro.

The author and illustrator are in conversation with architect Giuseppe Marsala and journalist and writer Giosuè Calaciura.

 

Friday 7 August – 6:45 PM

"La Seminatrice di Coraggio" – Antonella Desirée Giuffrè (tre60).

Set in Sicily in 1914, the novel tells the story of Maria Roccaforte, a woman who, during the First World War, discovers her own strength and becomes a symbol of emancipation, education and hope.

The author is in conversation with cultural organizer Vito Lanzarone.

 

Monday 10 August – 6:45 PM

"La Mentalità del Granchio. Un'indagine del commissario Nenè Indelicato" – Gaspare Grammatico (Mondadori).

An orchestra conductor disappears during rehearsals for Tosca and is found dead the following day. Amid mystery, sea and plot twists, Commissioner Nenè Indelicato returns in Gaspare Grammatico's new noir.

The author is in conversation with journalist and writer Ugo Barbàra.

 

Useful information.

• Admission: free, subject to availability (no booking required)
• Time: 6:45 PM
• Parking: free on site
• Info: 0924 541476 – 3394260915

 

An annual tradition of culture, wine and hospitality.

Over a decade, "Conversazioni d'Autore" has become much more than a literary festival: it's a fixed appointment, a way to discover Sicily through the eyes of those who tell its stories, and an opportunity to bring different generations of readers together around the same book.

Each evening is designed as a moment where literature meets the land, the wine and the hospitality of Tenute Plaia.

We look forward to seeing you!

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