Farewell to Neva Agnoletti, guardian of Giovanni Comisso’s memories

Neva Agnoletti, honorary president of the Friends of Comisso Association, custodian of the memories of the Venetian writer Giovanni Comisso (1895-1969), died this morning in Montebelluna hospital (Treviso). He would have turned 91 on December 15th.

Agnoletti had been among the founders of the Association in 1971 and since then she has always been an active member in a cultural history of great value which in 1979 led to the first edition of the ‘Giovanni Comisso’ literary prize. In 2006 she became president of the Association, relaunching the Award, which reached its 43rd edition this year.

“The cultural life of Treviso and Veneto owes a lot to her, despite having chosen a secluded profile and attentive to organizational aspects. With the Award, and not only that, she has in fact met great personalities, many of whom have unfortunately passed away, who have made the culture of our region in recent years, always bringing them to know Treviso, Montello and that Venetian environment loved and described by Giovanni Comisso himself, whom he met personally when he had been a guest several times in the family inn in Giavera del Montello”, recalls the Friends Association by Comisso in a statement sent to Adnkronos.

The ‘Agnoletti’ restaurant in Giavera del Montello is the historic restaurant of Neva’s family, the last heir, which was frequented by gourmet customers, including writers such as Mario Soldati, Giuseppe Mazzotti and above all Giovanni Comisso. The inn was a meeting place and convivial friendship for many artists and intellectuals, home to important cultural meetings such as the Conference of Venetian poets in 1949 and that of the tourist press in 1964, during which the well-known gastronome, Luigi Carnacina, gave Leone Agnoletti (Neva’s father) the “Golden Glass”, who in 1959 had already received the “Golden Plate of the Marca Trevigiana”. In addition to some wines, produced by the Agnoletti family, the inn had also become famous for some typical dishes such as the Sweet porcupine, forerunner of the Tiramisu, the Risotto alla sbirraglia and the Sopa coàda.

Neva Agnoletti was also a protagonist in the area, with the role of pharmacist manager at the Montebelluna hospital for many years and then, as the first woman, on the board of the Montelliana winery. He loved the land, the vineyard, just as he loved the art, culture and beauty that he encountered on his numerous travels. “An exemplary life, also crossed by great pain, which will continue to be a point of reference for us who remain and who we commit ourselves from now on to honor and tell, carrying forward this story that she began, with her own passion and determination in affectionate memory of his person”, concludes the Friends of Comisso Association.