1956 in Italy


Events from the year 1956 in Italy
Fandom italy:1956

Incumbents

President – Giovanni Gronchi
Prime minister – Antonio Segni

Events

Catastrophes

Crime news

  • October 10: In Terrazzano two lunatics, the brothers Santato, take hostage for a day, in a primary school, 97 children and three schoolmistresses; the children are saved by the sacrifice of a volunteer, the worker Sante Zennaro, killed by the police's friendly fire.

Economy

The Vanoni plan for the development of Italian economy, Keynesian in nature, is abandoned after the death of his promoter. Yet, the Prime minister Antonio Segni and the DC secretary Amintore Fanfani support a policy of public intervention, breaking with the liberalism of the former cabinets.
  • February 28: the three employers’ organization, Confindustria, Confcommercio and Confagricoltura constitute a coordination committee, Confintesa.
  • December 22: the State Holding Ministry is instituted.

Art

Amalasunta su sfondo verde
  • ''Negativo-positivo''

Culture

Le origini del fascismo by Paolo AlatriCritica e poesia by Mario Fubini
First issue of the magazinesIl Verri, organ of the Milan neoavanguardia;Il Regn, catholic magazineTempo presente, expression of the left wing anti-Communism.

Literature

Essays

Those cursed Tuscans  by Curzio Malaparte.Il futuro ha un cuore antico by Carlo Levi The miners of the Maremma  by Carlo Cassola and Luciano Bianciardi.Salt in the wound by Leonardo Sciascia

Fiction

Luca's secret by Ignazio SiloneA prospect of Ferrara by Giorgio Bassani.Italian folktales by Italo Calvino.La casa di via Valadier by Carlo Cassola.Farfalla di Dinard, short stories by Eugenio Montale

Poetry

The storm and other things by Eugenio Montale.Fuochi fatui by Camillo Sbarbaro.Versi e poesie by Giacomo Noventa.Una strana gioia di viviere by Sandro Penna.The false and true green by Salvatore Quasimodo.

Literary awards

Strega Prize: A prospect of Ferrara Viareggio Prize: Le parole sono pietre by Calo Levi and La sparviera by Gianna Manzini.Bagutta Prize:Rosso sul lago by Giuseppe Lanza.

Theatre

Buonanotte Bettina – musical comedy by Garinei and Giovannini, with Walter Chiari and Delia Scala.I tromboni – satirical review by Federico Zardi, with Vittorio Gassman.

Cinema

In 1956, Italian cinema was in a phase of transition. Auteur and socially engaged cinema is almost limited to only two titles: The roof, by Vittorio De Sica,   considered the last neorealist film, and The railroad man, a family drama directed and interpreted by Pietro Germi.
Most of the Italian production belongs the popular genres.Romantic comedy: Poveri ma belli by Dino Risi, a love triangle among three young Roman commoners, is the greatest public success of the year Other films: Donatella by Mario Monicelli, The Monte Carlo story, by Samuel A. Taylor, Lucky to be a woman by Alessndro Blasetti.Comic movie: Totò is at the height of his popularity and has the starring role in four films, all by Camillo Mastrocinque. Alberto Sordi carries on his ascent with Guardia, guardia scelta, brigadiere e maresciallo and Nero's mistress, instead the attempt to bring Dario Fo's bewildered humour to the big screen,, gets little success.Melodramas: Rice girl, The awakening by Mario Camerini. The musical melodramas, such as Guaglione by Giorgio Simonelli, Mermaid of Naples by Luigi Capuano and Canzone proibita by Flavio Calzavara, despite their modest artistic level, achieved great commercial success, especially in southern Italy.Period dramas: Michele Strogoff by Carmine Gallone, Le schiave di Cartagine by Guido Brignone, Beatrice Cenci by Riccardo Freda.

Box office

The non-Italian films are omitted.
  1. Poveri ma belli - 6,789 million viewiers
  2. The railroad man - - 5,517 million viewiers
  3. Michele Strogoff - 5.067 million viewiers
  4. Guaglione - 4, 968 million viewiers
  5. Totò, Peppino and the hussy - 4,644 million viewiers

Awards

Nastri d’argento: The Railroad man, Pietro Germi '', Anna Magnani,
First edition of David di Donatello
Academy awards: Anna Magnani
Berlin International Film Festival : Elsa Martinelli

Music

Dialogues by Gian Francesco MalipieroIl canto sospeso by Luigi Nono.

Pop music

The year sees the success of the Neapolitan songs by Aurelio Fierro, Renato Carosone and Domenico Modugno dealing with the topics of love and youth without sentimentality but with lively music and ironic lyrics.

Science

Oreste Piccioni proves the existence of antineutron.

Sport

Italian championships

Serie A: Fiorentina; Gino Pivatelli, Bologna, is head-gunner with 29 goalsCycling: Giorgio AlbaniBasketball: Virtus Bologna and Società Ginnastica Triestina

Italian victories

Cycling: UCI track cycling world championship: Antonio Maspes and Guido Messina.Boxing: World bantamweight champion: Mario D'AgataAuto racing Mille Miglia: Eugenio Castellotti on Ferrari.Motorcycle racing: Grand prix motorcycle racing Carlo Ubbiali

Gold medals

At the 1956 Winter Olympics, Italy gets 1 gold and 2 silver medals.Bobsleigh: Lamberto Dalla Costa and Giacomo Conti.
At the 1956 Summer Olympics, Italy gets 8 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze medals.Cycling; Leandro Faggin ;;4000 m team pursuit; Ercole Baldini Fencing: Carlo Pavesi ; Foil and Epée teams.Rowing: cowed fours.

Births

Deaths