The “Espero” course of the Air Force Military Academy in Florence staged the traditional Christmas performance. A large audience, composed of invited guests, parents, students of the School, and former students, attended the performance, which filled all the approximately 400 seats available. The impromptu but extremely determined “cast” of young actors staged a hilarious parody of “life” at the School, alternating comic skits and impersonations of the staff of the permanent display with actual pre-edited footage, earning the appreciation and applause of the audience present. The performance, which is annually presented by the students of the 2nd year to those of the 1st year, represents a kind of reward for these latter, who, with their first Christmas license, complete the initial and very demanding phase of acclimatization at the Institute. The occasion also proved to be propitious for the blatant handing over of the “paperozzo”, a kind of totem created by the students of the “Espero” course to emphasize the current “condition” of the first-year students. These latter, having completed the first cycle of studies, will be authorized to destroy the simulacrum entrusted to them, becoming finally “spilloni”, that is, “navigated” students of the second year. The evening concluded with the compliments of Captain Francesco Di Rosa, Course Commander, and Colonel Giorgio Baldacci, School Commander, followed by the ritual toast of “Buon Natale”.
