Chapter Two

Chapter two explores Rossano’s childhood and teenage years in Florence; his education, his family, his interests/hobbies, holidays, romantic flirtations and his initial career choice. The stage is an influence throughout this early period.

I visited Florence several times and was able to collate more research than I thought I would in respect of Rossano’s early years. I am indebted to the wonderful people I met in this city who were a great help to me. 

The city is compact and easy to walk around and divided into four districts: Santo Spirito, Santa Croce, San Giovanni and Santa Maria Novella.

Rossano lived in the Santa Maria Novella district, from the age of two until he left university to settle in Rome.

When we first arrive in Florence, Rossano leads me to the magnificent Pitti Palace. There is a huge cobbled area in front and, beyond that, small shops and restaurants. Rossano's father had a couple of shoe/leather shops along this parade. It's about one hundred yards from the Ponte Vecchio. 

If you cross over that bridge from the centre of the city and simply walk along via Guicciardini, you will arrive at Piazza Pitti.

I'm not a big fan of visiting old buildings so I didn't go inside the palace. However, I did go through the courtyard to visit the Boboli Gardens, which are situated behind the palace and they are well worth a visit. Those gardens make an appearance later in the book.

On the left, the Ponte Santa Trinita with the Ponte Vecchio in the background. A statue is located at each corner of the bridge, representing the four seasons. Rossano's sister, Franca, had to cross this bridge every day to go to school.

The road leading off of this bridge, leading into the city, is where the Brazzi family lived. That street is called the via de Tornabuoni. 

The via Tornabuoni is a wide avenue compared to most streets in the area. Brazzi's father, a well-respected shoe-maker, was making a good living and was able to afford a large apartment to accommodate his growing family. Rosssno's brother Oscar was born just a couple of years after Rossano and Franca, their sister came along about six years later.

Rossano was interested in both astrology and astronomy and, in a later chapter in the biography, we go a little deeper into his belief system. I visited a museum that he went to in Florence, The Galileo Museum. It lies on the banks of the River Arno just past the Uffizi Gallery and is well worth a visit. Some of the exhibits are amazing.

Rossano attended the San Marco University, which would later become the University of Florence. He studied and qualified in law. He met his future wife, Lydia, here. She was studying literature. A few of the university buildings are still in the area. These photos were taken in the Piazza San Marco in the San Giovanni area of the city. On the left is the 13th century Basilica San Marco and, on the right, an entrance to one of the university buildings. Very ornate.

In the book, this is where we chat to Rossano's pal from schooldays, Dr Giovanni Zanelli.

Rossano took part in many sporting activities while at San Marco University (now the University of Florence) including tennis, swimming, football and boxing, the latter two he took to the next level. These photos didn't make the book because the family aren't sure whether they are theirs or not and the quality is not brilliant. Here's our man with his boxing gloves on and at a sporting event with a friend. 

Along the narrow lanes of Florence, just along from Il Doumo, is the Dante Museum. As Rossano was such a huge fan of Dante, I knew I had to visit this museum. I wasn't really looking forward to it because I was sure I'd find it boring. What a mistake that was! This was a fascinating insight into Dante and, more importantly, Dante's work. I was so taken by the displays and his thinking that I purchased Dante's Inferno to read - and enjoyed it!

The museum is tucked away between Via del Corso and the Via Alghieri.

Most of my research in Florence took place between lockdowns during the pandemic. One place I really did want to visit was the Teatro Verdi, the largest theatre in Tuscany. Rossano made his debut here as a child in a successful school play but also played here several times during his career. I dearly wanted to get some photos of the theatre and wrote to the front of house manager. I honestly thought, with the pandemic, I would not be permitted inside. But, the manager opened the theatre up for me and switched on the house lights so that I could take these shots. An amazing theatre and, at the time, there was an exhibition in the foyer commemorating the theatre's history. If you get a chance to see a performance at this theatre, do go. I would imagine it would be quite an experience.

This theatre is located on the Via Ghibellina in the Santa Croce area of the city.

Big thanks to Fulvio for book about the theatre and the black and white photo.

While leading me around Rossano's city, we stop at the Piazza del Mercato Nuovo where there is a permanent market of stalls selling leather goods. Here I am by the famous bronze boar, Il Porcellino, whose nose you must stroke for good luck. The market is just up from the Ponte Vecchio on Via Calimala.

During his time at university, he was pursuing Lydia who would later become his wife. In the book, you will discover that, while he had the eye of just about every other female on the campus, Lydia was more difficult to woo. This photo was taken about 1946/1947 so they had been married for several years. Unfortunately, we don't have any photos of them together at university.

Although this is a much later photo (taken in the late 50s or early 60s), we see Rossano here chatting to someone about shoes, something he knew a lot about!