We the Italians July 18, 2016 - 81 | Page 22

th tH # 81 JULY 18 , 2016 # 81 juLY 18 , 2016 read more about #Great Italians of the Past GREAT ITALIANS OF THE PAST: DOMENICO MODUGNO By Giovanni Verde Widely regarded as one of the fathers of the Italian song writing, Domenico Modugno is one of two Italian artists, along with Renato Carosone, who had the ability to sell records in the United States with songs in the original Italian language. Domenico Modugno was born in Polignano a Mare, Puglia, on January 9, 1928, from Vito Cosimo Modugno and Easter Lorusso. During his adolescence he learns to play the guitar, thanks to the teachings of his father Vito Cosimo, and the accordion, while in 1945 he composes his first two songs, which will never be recorded. After moving to San Pietro Vernotico, in the province of Brindisi, his tireless theatrical activity begins. However, the country life doesn't suit him, and therefore he decides to move to Turin and then to Rome, where he wins a competition for amateur actors that allows him to enroll in the National Film School, the school for actors. There he meets an aspiring young Sicilian actress, Franca Gandolfi, who later will become his wife on June 26, 1955. In 1952 the young actor is in a theater play, The Bourgeois Gentleman by Molière. Once obtained the diploma from the Experimental Centre of Cinematography in 1953, Domenico continues to be an extra in a few movies: his dream is to be an actor, even if he continues to perform also as a musician. Meanwhile, he's also a radio star. that song, but this will serDomenico involves Fran- ve to raise the interest of The Apulian singer so deca Gandolfi and so, in ear- the Italian radio and tele- scribes the birth of his success in the United States: ly 1953, he hosts the show vision executives. "In a radio station in Michi"Amuri, amuri" those are the days when begins the Modugno soon becomes gan or in Indiana, I can't legend of Domenico Mo- one of the protagonists of remember, a gentleman dugno as a sicilian born: the Italian and internatio- comes with my record and many mistake the Salento nal pop music when triu- airs it. The day after 2,000 dialect of this and other mphs at the 1958 edition people calls on the phone songs for the Sicilian dia- of the Sanremo Festival asking to listen it again, lect, and the singer, at le- 1958 with Johnny Dorelli. and so he airs it again. ast at that time, does not The winning song is "Nel The day after, again 2,000 deny, attracting the hatred blu dipinto di blu", global- phone calls. The success ly known as "Volare". The of "Volare" was thus born. of many Sicilians. lyrics of this masterpieIn May 1953 Frank Sinatra ce are written by Modu- It is in this period that the is the guest of an Italian gno together with Franco Americans nickname him radio program, during Migliacci, his partner in "Mr. Volare", and also his which Modugno perfor- several moments of his song "Nel blu dipinto di ms "Ninna nanna": Sinatra career, leading to more blu" is known by this title, appreciates very much the successful results such as and remains at the top of song, and asks Modugno "Addio, addio" (Goodbye, the US hit parade for thira recording of the song. Goodbye), which is tran- teen consecutive weeks, Sinatra will never record slated in 13 languages all a record yet today unsurover the world. passed by any other Ita- 22 | WE THE ITALIANS WE THE ITALIANS | 23 www.wetheitalians.com www.wetheitalians.com