Brought together by Gaetano Ventriglia and Silvia Garbuggino, the Italian version in two parts is presented within a two day span and sees one of most powerful characters in the world literature, Raskolnikov, in a slightly different reality in the historical surroundings of one of the most Catholic and ancient cities in the world.

Silvia Garbuggino was quoted as saying, Naples and St. Petersburg actually have a lot in common. “The relationship Neapolitans have with faith is complex. It is made up of devotion, superstition and at times habit: however, this might be the same more or less everywhere. The true similarities between Naples and Saint Petersburg can be found in the descriptions. The opening words of the novel, “At the beginning of a very warm July…” anticipate the general atmosphere: heat, crowd, sensuality, deep passions. In this, there is much of Naples.”

The Italian version of “Crime and Punishment” has also been timed to mark the beginning of the XIVth International Dostoevsky Symposium in which researchers from 25 countries will take part.