Giacomo Puccini was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long line of composers, stemming from the late-Baroque era. Though his early work was firmly rooted in traditional late-19th-century Romantic Italian opera, he later developed his work in the realistic verismo style, of which he became one of the leading exponents.
Madama Butterfly is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.
Turandot is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to a libretto in Italian by Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni. Puccini left the opera unfinished at the time of his death in 1924; it premiered in 1926 after the music was posthumously completed by Franco Alfano.
Renata Tebaldi was an Italian lirico-spinto soprano popular in the post-war period, and especially prominent as one of the stars of La Scala, San Carlo and, especially, the Metropolitan Opera. Often considered among the great opera singers of the 20th century, she focused primarily on the verismo roles of the lyric and dramatic repertoires. Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini called her voice "la voce d'angelo", and La Scala music director Riccardo Muti called her "one of the greatest performers with one of the most extraordinary voices in the field of opera."
The Night Porter is a 1974 Italian psychological war drama film. Directed and co-written by Liliana Cavani, the film stars Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling, with Philippe Leroy, Gabriele Ferzetti, and Isa Miranda in supporting roles. Set in Vienna in 1957, the film centers on the sadomasochistic relationship between a former Nazi concentration camp officer (Bogarde) and one of his inmates (Rampling).
Edgar is an operatic dramma lirico in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Ferdinando Fontana, freely based on the play in verse La Coupe et les lèvres by Alfred de Musset.
Gabriele Ferzetti was an Italian actor with more than 160 credits across film, television, and stage. His career was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s.
Le Amiche is a 1955 Italian drama film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Eleonora Rossi Drago, Gabriele Ferzetti, Franco Fabrizi, and Valentina Cortese. Based on Cesare Pavese's 1949 novella Tra donne sole, Le Amiche portrays a group of five upper-class women in Turin and their various relationships with men. It premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it was awarded the Silver Lion.
Girls for the Summer is a 1958 Italian romantic comedy drama film directed by Gianni Franciolini, based on story by Alberto Moravia. The film stars Alberto Sordi, Michèle Morgan, Marcello Mastroianni, Sylva Koscina, Gabriele Ferzetti, Dorian Gray, Franca Marzi, Franco Fabrizi and Jorge Mistral.
The Wayward Wife is a 1953 Italian melodrama film directed by Mario Soldati. It was entered into the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. In 2008, the film was included on the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s 100 Italian films to be saved, a list of 100 films that "have changed the collective memory of the country between 1942 and 1978."
House of Ricordi is a 1954 French-Italian historical biographical melodrama film based on the early history of the Italian music publishing house Casa Ricordi. It is directed by Carmine Gallone and stars Märta Torén, Marcello Mastroianni and Micheline Presle. The Ricordi family's interactions with many of the great composers of the nineteenth century are portrayed. The film's sets were designed by Mario Chiari. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios and on location in Milan, Paris and Rome.
Come Play with Me is a 1968 Italian drama film directed by Salvatore Samperi. It was listed to compete at the 1968 Cannes Film Festival, but the festival was cancelled due to the events of May 1968 in France. The English title is not a translation of the Italian one, which translates into English as "Thanks, Auntie".
Eva Likova was an American operatic soprano of Czech descent. She was notably one of the major sopranos at the New York City Opera during the company's early years. She also made guest appearances with a number of opera houses in North America and Europe, enjoying a particularly fruitful partnership with the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company. After retiring from the opera stage in 1966, she embarked on a second career as a voice teacher.
Donatella is a 1956 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli. At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival Elsa Martinelli won the Silver Bear for Best Actress.
Il sole negli occhi is a 1953 Italian drama film directed by Antonio Pietrangeli. It stars Gabriele Ferzetti. In 2008, the film was included on the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s 100 Italian films to be saved, a list of 100 films that "have changed the collective memory of the country between 1942 and 1978."
Modern Virgin is a 1954 Italian melodrama film. It stars actor Gabriele Ferzetti.
The Devil in Love is a 1966 Italian fantasy-comedy film. It stars Vittorio Gassman and Gabriele Ferzetti. It is loosely based on the tale Belfagor arcidiavolo by Niccolò Machiavelli.
Cristina, regina di Svezia is an opera in five parts and three acts composed by Jacopo Foroni. The Italian libretto by Giovanni Carlo Casanova is loosely based on the events surrounding the abdication of Christina, Queen of Sweden in 1654. The opera premiered on 22 May 1849 at the Mindre Theatre in Stockholm.
The Ungrateful Heart is a 1951 Italian melodrama film directed by Guido Brignone and starring Carla Del Poggio, Frank Latimore and Gabriele Ferzetti. It takes its name from the Neapolitan song "Core 'ngrato". It was released in West Germany in 1953.
There's Still Tomorrow is a 2023 Italian comedy drama film directed by Paola Cortellesi in her directorial debut. The film won three prizes at the Rome Film Festival and is the most successful film at the Italian box office in 2023.
