Maurizia Balmelli to discuss Sally Rooney in Matera

Translator Maurizia Balmelli will participate in the fourth session of the sixth edition of ‘Scrittori allo specchio’ in Matera. The event, titled ‘Sally Rooney, a millennial writer?’, is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, at 19:00 in the Conference Hall of the Chamber of Commerce.

The discussion will focus on Sally Rooney’s novel ‘Beautiful World, Where Are You’ (Dove sei, mondo bello), published in Italy by Einaudi. Beyond analyzing Rooney’s themes of relationships, social inequality, and solitude, the session will serve as an exploration of the translation process. Balmelli will discuss the technical challenges of translating Rooney’s style, which relies on dialogue, silence, and everyday registers.

Balmelli is a prominent Italian translator of contemporary fiction, having worked on works by authors such as Martin Amis, Ian McEwan, and Emmanuel Carrère. She is a recipient of several honors, including the Vallombrosa Von Rezzori Prize and the Terra Nova Prize.