 | The Orchestra of Piazza Vittorio |
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TThe story begins in the Esquilino neighborhood in Rome. An area that revolves around a square with a Roman heart and a multitude of colors: Piazza Vittorio. It is a thoroughfare and hub for various cultures and its atmosphere inspired Mario Tronco to create what many would have liked to accomplish but only he, with the help and tenacity of Agostino Ferrente, had the courage to see to the end, LOrchestra di Piazza Vittorio.
Many musicians, each one unique in origin, instrument, and musical experience. Together they form an orchestra that plays and reinvents music from all over the world with a visceral energy that audiences take away with them after each concert.
Now, the Orchestra is well-known in Italy and abroad, but in 2002, the year it was created, everything was much more difficult and finding its place in the world of music as well as financial support in order to play was a true undertaking. The only thing that has not changed is the desire to make music and have fun with those who listen to and know how to listen for great new sounds in music.
Naturally, the Orchestra has not and will not stop here and after its great success thanks also to the film about the orchestra by Agostino Ferrente, the story continues with new musical projects by Mario Tronco who is always ready to surprise us..
THE ORCHESTRA PIAZZA VITTORIO (L''ORCHESTRA DI PIAZZA VITTORIO), 2006, Netflix/Vitagraph Films, 93 min. Dir. Agostino Ferrente. An award-winning Italian film that chronicles the realization of an ambitious dream -- to create a unique, multi-ethnic orchestra that would fuse cultures, tradition and sounds from around the world. With 250 concerts behind them in Europe and two CDs, the Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio makes their West Coast debut with a post-screening live concert at the Egyptian.
Musician Mario Tronco (Avion Travel), a resident of the dominantly immigrant neighborhood "Piazza Vittorio" in Rome, joined by other artists and musicians, sought to save the historic Apollo Theater with a proposal to create a multi-media, multi-cultural theater with a resident orchestra. Launching their quest soon after 9/11, in a climate of government anti-immigrant sentiment, the community organization "Apollo 11," is flanked by filmmaker Agostino Ferrente, who captures the entire incredible, 5-year journey that finally yields twenty-some musicians from 11 countries on 4 continents, who speak 8 different languages - all who, more or less live in Rome!
The film features musicians from: Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, India, Italy, Morocco, Romania, Sengal, Ungheria and the United States. This is the first Orchestra founded on the support of people trying to provide meaningful employment and residency for 25 professional musicians. These musicians are living proof of the different ways in which music, cultures and religions work together and their on-stage performance delivers the powerful message of brotherhood and peace in a way that no declaration, rally or television debate could.
http://egyptiantheatre.com/archive1999/2007/Cinema_Italian_Style_ET2007.htm