Zara 1851 - Roma 1914
Born on October 23, 1851, in Zara, Arturo Colautti carved for himself: "a prominent position in the field of Italian literature" in Dalmatia at the end of XIX century.
Journalist, poet, dramatist and storyteller, Colautti was undoubtedly one of the best writers ever born in Zara. Great Italian patriot, he was an aggressive and combative journalist, since age 17, when he founded the newspaper "Il Progresso", followed by "La Leva". After completing his Master in History and Geography in Vienna, he became the editor in chief of important Dalmatian and Italian papers. After publishing an anti-Austrian article on "L'Avvenire", on September 28, 1880, Colautti was attacked by seven soldiers, wounded and forced to go on exile. First in Naples, later in Milan, he carried on his mission in favor of the Dalmatian secessionist movement. He was a good friend of Giosuè Carducci, Alfredo Oriani and Gabriele D'Annunzio.
Colautti wrote collections of poetry, a poem in 23 cantos, short stories and novels, and a cycle of sixty sonnets on Napoleon I.
Colautti contributed extensively to the theatre with over fifteen plays, and opera librettos. Among the latter, we remember "Fedora", with music by Umberto Giordano, "Adriana Lecouvreur" with music by Francesco Cilea. The one-act opera "Dona Flor", composed by Niccolò Van Westerhout, stands out for the care in versifying, the spirited dialogues, and the strong scenes. "Some gaps in style and an excessively sharp and controversial spirit prevented him from attaining the highest artistic status. His relentless drive, forcing him to leave his birthplace to keep alive the essence of Dalmatian irredentism in Naples and Milan, together with the distinguished qualities of his character gave him an unmistakable and unforgettable personality". This quotes comes from "Dizionario storico della letteratura italiana" by U. Renda e P. Operti (Turin 1957), which lists only the greatest writers in Italian literature.
.
