Oh that Chaplin is the narration of the greatest failure of one of the most extraordinary genius that cinema of all time has never had. Only a few know that, before embarking on his brilliant career, Chaplin considered very seriously the possibility of achieving success as concert player, as violoncellist. He himself, in his autobiography, tell us about passionate hours studying his instruments and all expansive changes made necessary because he could only play it on the contrary, being left-handed. Chaplin also composed, for this aim, a musical repertory foreseeing his future career as soloist. Oh that Cello! the title he gave to his collection of pieces. The finishing decisive stroke at this unlucky accident happened when Bert Clark, an excellent pianist of the time, persuaded him to go into business in musical field. Chaplin and Clark also inaugurated an office for their musical edition, printed two thousand copies of scores and dressed up waiting the crowd of costumers that, according them, would suddenly arrive in flocks. Instead, they sold only three copies and their business had quickly shut down in order to stave off bankruptcy. With this failure the dream of Chaplin became quickly a nightmare. Only when he became the magnificent artist that everybody love, melodies of “ Oh that cello!” were proposed again by Chaplin and were appreciated together with his qualities as composer and his talent as violoncellist. And, only in that moment, Chaplin granted himself the pleasure of playing, as he imagined for a duet violoncello/piano, that repertory in front of chosen audience of friends and distinguished guests he entertained with his music during special evenings and with anecdotes and curiosity from his life. Therefore now make yourself comfortable, relax and enjoy the pleasant feeling of being among the guests of honor during one of those special evenings at Chaplin’s home.
Piazza Fortebraccio 8th July h. 9.30 pm
Raffaele Arena, better known as Lello Arena, is an Italian stand-up comedian, actor, and voice actor, who is also a key spokesman, along with Massimo Troisi and Enzo Decaro, for a new Neapolitan comedy sketch group called La Smorfia that begins to gain its fame in the late 70s. Lello Arena first meets Massimo Troisi at the age of 13 during a theater performance at the community theater organized by Sant’Anna Church. Arena, inspired by his friend Troisi, dedicates his body and soul to theater. Together with Troisi and other friends of theirs (among whom, there was also Enzo Decaro), Arena forms a theater group called RH-Negativo, introducing a revolutionary style of theater performance that incorporates both the Neapolitan farce and the stand-up comedy. The group, which since then changed its name to I Saraceni and later to La Smorfia, starts to grow thin until 1977 when only three of them – Arena, Troisi, and Decaro – are still remaining. In 1981, Troisi asks Arena to play Lello, the invasive friend of Gaetano, who is also the protagonist of Troisi’s film Ricomincio da tre. In 1982, Arena plays the protagonist in Lodovico Gasparini’s film No grazie, il caffè mi rende nervoso and makes an appearance in Troisi’s medium-length film Morto Troisi, Viva Troisi! Then, in 1983, Arena plays an important role in Troisi’s second feature Scusate il ritardo, in which he acts the part of a man that suffers from mania and neurosis after his girlfriend breaks up with him. For his outstanding acting in the film, Arena is awarded with the David di Donatello for Best Supporting Actor. After starring side by side with some of the best Italian actors, Arena plunges himself into the world of directing and screenplay writing and makes his debut as a director with Chiari di Luna (1988). Then, from the early 90s, he focuses his career on theater while continuing on with film and television. In 2018, 30 years after his first film, Arena directs Finalmente Sposi, a film starring the comedy duo Arteteca.
Francesca Taviani graduated from the ‘Santa Cecilia’ Conservatoire of Rome.She placed highly in national and international chamber music competitions. She was a finalist in the International Competition Gui in Florence. She founded the Trio Alibert and has been a member of the Quartetto di Roma. She was principal cellist of the Officina Musicale and the Aracoeli Ensemble.She has passed through the national recruitment process, formally obtaining eligibility to teach Chamber Music.She teaches at the ‘Giuseppe Martucci’ Conservatoire in Salerno.
Rossella Giordano graduated in piano at the Conservatory G.Martucci in Salerno,resulting winner of the scholarship offered by the Association F.I.D.A.P.A as best graduate of the year. In 2005 she won an internal audition at the Conservatory in Salerno to take part in one tour of chamber music concerts in Austria. In 2006 she joined the Orchestra Giovanile Italiana in Fiesole, where she had the opportunity to study with teachers such as Tiziano Mealli, Konstantin Bogino, Antonello Farulli, Andrea Nannoni, Renato Rivolta and passed the final exam regarding orchestral formation with the best grades. In 2013 she graduated in Piano Jazz. Currently she has a teaching post of the instrument music at I. Soldi Comprehensive School in Polla, and she is constantly improving herself with Maestro Carlos Parreira and performing concerts.