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Born: April 24, 1924 - Palermo, Italy
Died: February 1, 2005 - Rome, Italy
The famous Italian pianist and composer, Franco Mannino, pupil of Renzo Silvestri, has made his debut already at the age of 16. Due to his outstanding skills and personality, he has been renown throughout Italy and Europe. Following World War II, Mannino was the first invited Italian pianist to perform in the USA where he has gained considerable and enthusiastic success.
After abandoning the piano, Franco Mannino started a brilliant career as a conductor appreciated enthusiastically in Italy and worldwide. He was appointed as the Art Director and Conductor at the National Art Center (NAC) in Ottawa between 1982 and 1986. In view of his major contribution to music, the Canadian Government organised "The Mannino Festival" as a tribute to the Maestro prior to his leaving Canada.
Franco Mannino composed 622 musical works, including opera, ballet, oratory symphonies, chamber music and music for the theatre. In addition there was his music for more than a hundred films by some of the best-known directors of his day, including Luchino Visconti with whom he collaborated many times, including such films as Death in Venice. His opera Vivi, libretto by Paola Masino and Bindo Missiroli, was the only one representedl worldwide by a live composer. His 1963 opera Il diavolo in giardino, from a libretto by Visconti (and collaborators) based on a Thomas Mann short story, was presented at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo in February. Other operas by the Maestro are: Mario e il Mago: libretto by Luchino Visconti, performed at La Scala (1956) as well as in France awarding the "Diaghilev Prize" as the world best musical work; Il Principe Felice; Le notti bianche, Da Colombo a Broadway. Mannino composed music for over 100 movies and has collaborated with John Huston, Leonide Moguy, Mario Soldati and many other.
Writing and publishing written books and essays were among additional exceptional skills of Franco Mannino. He has published among other books the Genii in 1996 with the preface of Elisabeth Mann Borgese,the Amuri, L'Azzurro al di la in del Tunnel, L'Arca di casa mia, Famiglie Suonate, I contrabbassi dipinti - Adagetti musicali (1996), La caccia nella musica (1994), Il diritto connesso degli artisti esecutori - Analogie con il diritto d'autore (1995).
Franco Mannino was awarded with numerous and most prestigious prizes such as: The "Colombus Prize" (1950) - USA, the international "Luigi Illica" prize (1964), the "Medalia d'oro" (1968), the "David di Donatello" (1976),
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