Nicola Piovani and his dangerous music

"I'm just back from a quick tour in Altamura. I'm impressed by the square nearby the cathedral" Nicola Piovani begins.

It's Saturday 3 December, 5 pm. At the conference room within the Mercadante theatre in Altamura, Nicola Piovani is presenting his book La musica e' pericolosa

Nicola Piovani, the composer of the soundtrack of La vita è  bella says "Thanks to my work, I have chance to travel around Italy. A while ago I've discovered a theatre in Novi Ligure so beautiful that if it had been in California, they would have done everything to let people visit it".




Talking about what's the mission of theatres, Piovani states that what makes a theatre interesting is not only the theatre season, but also the connections established with the local community.

"Theatre is the only place left, with church probably, where people get concentrated to receive what artists have to say" Piovani continues.  




Music and beauty are the two things which still derange Nicola Piovani "I remember in Vigevano, being there in Piazza Ducale. Oh what a feeling, I felt shivers down the spine".

Piovani was good friend of Nino Rota, Ennio Morricone, Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli and many others composers and directors. 

"The title of my book is a Federico Fellini's quote. We were together one day, I was at the piano. As soon I started playing the Amarcord soundtrack, suddenly I saw Federico crying, leaving the room" Piovani recalls.

Nicola Piovani takes this opportunity to openly acknowledge the uniqueness of Apulia in terms of wind bands (bande musicali) such as the Squinzano and Conversano ones.

He pays homage to such Apulian customs, which sees so many Apulian cities having their own banda musicale.

"Many years ago I was in the province of Taranto. It was the first time I came across the maestro Gennaro Abbate, orchestrating the banda of Squinzano. He was amazing" Piovani states.

Indeed, Gennaro Abbate inherited the conduction of the banda di Squinzano from his dying brother, Ernesto Abbate, famous for having composed la sagra dei fiori.

Gennaro Abbate had already achieved great success directing bands in theatres of all around the world (Russia, Uk). 

However, he decided to stay in Squinzano till the end of his days, leading the banda composed by 70 musicians to the top.  

It's a great pleasure to listen to Sir Nicola Piovani. 

His memories, his thoughts, his opinions are tremendously fascinating. He brings to mind glorious times gone forever. The times in which Italian directors and composers gathered together to create unforgettable movies.

Later on Sir Piovani will be performing on stage at the Mercadante theatre.

Long life to Nicola Piovani.