On Wednesday, November 26, at 6 p.m., Dante's Inferno will be staged at the Chelliana Library in Grosseto: the Officina del Malcontento will present, in concert form, “Infernalia, Dante's Inferno in nine songs, nine paintings, nine stories” (Effigi, 2025), a multifaceted editorial project that combines music, words, and painting to recount a contemporary Inferno, inspired by Dante's first canticle.
Originally conceived as an album by the Officina del Malcontento, with lyrics by Cristiana Milaneschi and music by Carla Baldini, “Infernalia” then found its definitive form thanks first to the encounter with the paintings of Andrea Ferrari, then to the literary contributions of nine writers (Stefano Adami, Enrico Bistazzoni, Giorgio Genetelli, Daniel Di Schüler, Dario Voltolini, Elena Bellini, Roberta Lepri, Cesare Fallavollita, Sacha Naspini & Valentina Santini).

The book contains links to audio files (the songs can be listened to and downloaded in high quality), song lyrics, Dante's tercets that inspired the songs, color reproductions of Andrea Ferrari's “infernal” paintings paired with the songs, and, finally, nine short stories.
With ever-changing musical atmospheres ranging from ballads to beguines, from waltzes to pizzicas, each song describes a character and their story: the ferryman Charon, the infernal figure par excellence; Paolo and Francesca, eternally united in their ill-fated love; Count Ugolino and his tragedy as a man and father; Ulysses in his constant search for knowledge... characters who move in a contemporary hell, marked by the pandemic, where they serve a punishment ‘without having sinned".
Some songs are introduced by verses from Dante, and in particular “Conte Ugolino” and “Paolo e Francesca” feature the unique and precious voice of Arnoldo Foà, with previously unreleased recordings kindly made available by Anna Procaccini Foà in memory of the more than ten-year artistic relationship between the master of Italian theater and the creator of the Infernalia project, singer Carla Baldini.
During the presentation-concert at the Chelliana, readings from the book will accompany the songs, performed live by the Officina del Malcontento (Carla Baldini - vocals, Dino Simone - accordion and vocals, Angelo Fucci - guitar and backing vocals).
The event is organized in collaboration with the Mondadori bookshop in the historic center. Info: tel./wa 335 584 9911