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A Conversation with Fiorella Mannoia. In Italian

On the occasion of her first US appearance Italian pop singer Fiorella Mannoia in a conversation with Giancarlo Lombardi.
(the event is in Italian)

The Rome-born Fiorella Mannoia made her singing debut at the age of 14 at Italy’s Castrocaro Festival of New Voices and New Faces, immediately landing her first recording contract. The young Mannoia honed her vocal skills via appearances in the country’s noted song contests such as Festivalbar and Un disco per l’estate, eventually competing in the legendary Sanremo Festival of Italian Song, an event which would become synonymous with the trajectory of the singer’s prodigious career. Back to back wins of Sanremo’s Critics Prize in 1987 and 1988 cemented Firoella Mannoia’s reputation as the female interpreter in whom Italy’s legendary cantautori would entrust their works including Ivano Fossati, Ron, Riccardo Cocciante and Francesco De Gregori. From this position Mannoia would go on to champion her country’s next generation of songwriters such as Samuele Bersani, Daniele Silvestri and Gianmaria Testa. In 2000, Fiorella Mannoia was invited to the 50th anniversary edition of the Sanremo Festival as “Super Host”.

A 1989 Italian-language version of Chico Buarque’s “O Que Será” marked the beginning of Fiorella Mannoia’s relationship with Brazil and its musicians. Among the legends Mannoia would go on to record with are Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Milton Nacimento and modern masters Lenine and Adriana Calcanhotto, making the Italian artist the de-facto ambassador between two of the world’s richest musical cultures.

Her latest album 2016’s Combattente features compositions by old friends including Fossati and new collaborators such as Negramaro’s Giuliano Sangiorgi as well as songs penned by Mannoia herself. In 2017 Fiorella Mannoia returned to the Sanremo Festival stage in competition for the fifth time.

 

Giancarlo Lombardi is Professor of Italian and Comparative Literature at College of Staten Island/The Graduate Center (CUNY)

Reservation no longer available

  • Organized by: ICI
  • In collaboration with: Graduate Center/CUNY