Italians Find ‘a Moment of Joy in This Moment of Anxiety’

Italians(iˈtalyən) Find ‘a Moment of Joy in This Moment of Anxiety(aNGˈzīədē)’

Under lockdown to prevent(prəˈvent) the spread(spred) of the coronavirus(kəˈrōnəˌvīrəs), song breaks out from rooftops, balconies(ˈbalkənē) and windows.

By Jason Horowitz

It started with the national anthem(ˈanTHəm). Then came the piano chords(kôrd), trumpet(ˈtrəmpət) blasts(blast), violin(ˌvīəˈlin) serenades(ˌserəˈnād) and even the clanging(klaNG) of pots(pät) and pans — all of it spilling(spil) from people’s homes, out of windows and from balconies, and rippling(ˈripəl) across rooftops.

Finally, on Saturday afternoon, a nationwide round of applause(əˈplôz) broke out for the doctors on the medical(ˈmedək(ə)l) front lines fighting the spread of Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreak.

“It was from our hearts, to say thanks and show that we can get past this,” said Emma Santachiara, 73, who came out onto the terrace(ˈterəs) of her apartment in the Monteverde section of Rome(rōm) to clap with her granddaughters.

Italians remain essentially under house arrest(əˈrest) as the nation, the European front in the global fight against the coronavirus, has ordered extraordinary restrictions(rəˈstrikSH(ə)n) on their movement to prevent contagions(kənˈtājən).

As of Saturday, the virus(ˈvīrəs) had infected more than 21,000 Italians and left more than 1,400 dead, according to national officials — the worst toll(tōl) reported anywhere outside of China. Italy has closed all of its schools, bars and restaurants, and restricted(rəˈstrikt) movement for anything other than work, health or the procurement(prō-,prəˈkyo͝ormənt) of essentials.

But the cacophony(kəˈkäfənē) erupting(əˈrəpt) over the streets, from people stuck in their homes, reflects the spirit, resilience(rəˈzilyəns) and humor(ˈ(h)yo͞omər) of a nation facing its worst national emergency since the Second World War.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/14/world/europe/italians-find-a-moment-of-joy-in-this-moment-of-anxiety.html