Description
NICOLA PIOVANI BIOGRAPHY :
Nicola Piovani (born 26 May 1946) is an Italian light-classical musician, theater and film score composer, and winner of the 1999 Best Original Dramatic Score Oscar for the score of the Roberto Benigni film La Vita è bella, better known to English-speaking audiences as Life Is Beautiful. After high school, Piovani enrolled at the Sapienza University of Rome, receiving his degree in piano from the Verdi Conservatory in Milan in 1967, and later studied orchestration under the Greek composer Manos Hadjidakis. Among his more popular works is the score for the Federico Fellini film Intervista, his second of three collaborations with the famous director, the others being Ginger e Fred (Ginger and Fred in English) and La voce della luna (The Voice of the Moon). Years later, he composed a ballet titled Balletto Fellini. In 2000 his Academy Award-winning score for La Vita è bella (Life Is Beautiful) was further nominated for a Grammy Award in the “Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media” category, losing to Randy Newman. In 2005 he was a member of the jury at the 27th Moscow International Film Festival. In light of his recent work with French directors, notably Danièle Thompson, Philippe Lioret, and Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, the French Minister of Culture gave him the title of Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on 21 May 2008 at the Cannes Film Festival. To date, Piovani has over 130 film scores to his credit, including films such as Slap the Monster on Page One (1972), The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974), Flavia the Heretic (1974), Le Orme (1975), A Leap in the Dark (1980) The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982), and Kaos (1984). The music for the latter is considered by many as one of the best film scores ever done. However, he is reported to believe that “Too many film scores make a composer a hack, but in the theatre music is above all craftsmanship”. Accordingly, he continues to work in musical theatre, and also composes concert and chamber music.
LELLO ARENA BIOGRAPHY :
Raffaele “Lello” Arena born 1 November 1953 is an Italian actor and comics writer. He was also an occasional film director and screenwriter.
Life and career
Born in Naples as Raffaele Arena, he was the son of two workers in a tobacco factory. In 1969, at a very young age, Arena formed the cabaret ensamble “La Smorfia” together with Massimo Troisi and Enzo Decaro. In 1978 and 1979, the group appeared in two RAI variety shows (Non stop and Luna Park) obtaining a great success. The group disbanded in 1980 and for some time Arena kept on collaborating with his friend Troisi, starring in his three first films. He won a David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Troisi’s Scusate il ritardo. Later Arena focused his career on television, appearing in a large number of variety shows; he occasionally came back to cinema, even making his debut as a director in 1989 with Chiari di luna. He is also active on stage. Arena also worked as a comics scriptwriter, notably for Lupo Alberto and Topolino.
Life and career
Born in Naples as Raffaele Arena, he was the son of two workers in a tobacco factory. In 1969, at a very young age, Arena formed the cabaret ensamble “La Smorfia” together with Massimo Troisi and Enzo Decaro. In 1978 and 1979, the group appeared in two RAI variety shows (Non stop and Luna Park) obtaining a great success. The group disbanded in 1980 and for some time Arena kept on collaborating with his friend Troisi, starring in his three first films. He won a David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Troisi’s Scusate il ritardo. Later Arena focused his career on television, appearing in a large number of variety shows; he occasionally came back to cinema, even making his debut as a director in 1989 with Chiari di luna. He is also active on stage. Arena also worked as a comics scriptwriter, notably for Lupo Alberto and Topolino.
