Kickstarter for Le Passioni dell'Anima!

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Roberto Scarcella Perino, an Italian composer living in New York, and Federica Anichini, a scholar in Medieval Studies, have created a charming piece of children's choral music. Following their Le Passioni dell’Aria (2014) Roberto and Federica have composed Le Passioni dell’Anima. 

The piece is a musical story, and can be performed as a very short opera. The emotions at the core of the piece are six, paired in opposites: Tristezza/Gioia, Paura/Coraggio, Rabbia/Gentilezza (Sadness/Joy, Fear/Courage, Rage/Kindness). 

They are represented as the guests—the soul, as their ever available hostess who, striking up conversation with each of them, reveals their portrait. Anima, the soul, is interpreted by a soprano who sings 4 arias during the Azione in musica.

The different passions of the souls were the inspiration for Roberto’s music. Federica’s lyrics are meant to depict the emotions, simply as temporary guests taking turns in the children’s mind and body. Last but not least, Le Passioni dell’Animaspeaks to the engagement of children in a foreign language, and in Italian in particular. 

The Italian lyrics give them the chance to be exposed to the sounds of a language deeply connected to the very origins of music composition. 

Singing Le Passioni dell’Aria in Italian has proven to be a thrilling experience for the kids of the New York City Children’s Chorus. Now, we have asked the same choir to premiere our Le Passioni dell’Anima. 

The performance is scheduled for the Spring 2017, at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, in New York City. Le Passioni dell’Anima will be performed in Italy as well. 

On April 2nd, 2017, in Messina, Sicily, the Coro di Voci Bianche del Conservatorio Vincenzo Bellini di Palermo will be conducted by Maestro Antonio Sottile for the Filarmonica Laudamo.

They need your help

Le Passioni dell’Anima will be premiered in 2017 simultaneously in New York City, at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, and in Messina, at the Filarmonica Laudamo, the oldest musical association in Sicily. 

The double world premiere of Le Passioni dell’Anima is scheduled, the venues booked, the children’s choir contracted, and rehearsals will start after the Summer! 

Your contributions will cover the work of the Artistic Director and the Pianist of the chorus, as well as of the recording production, mastering/mixing, and artwork for the CD. Albeit challenging, we can say with all confidence that this project is moving forward as planned. 

Thank you so much for your interest and support, and please, join them for the premiere in New York, in April, 2017! 

The performance will be part of the music series organized at the Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimò, an institution which aims at spreading Italian culture outside of its national boundaries, and at supporting the study of the Italian language and culture. The concert will be open to the general public, and free. Or join them for the Italian performance of Le Passioni dell’Anima, on April 2nd 2017, in Messina, Sicily, at the Filarmonica Laudamo 

Roberto Scarcella Perino’s music has been commissioned, performed, and recorded by excellent ensembles and soloists throughout Europe and The United States, including the Orchestra Arturo Toscanini, the Orchestra Regionale Toscana, Giuseppe Bruno and the Exclusive Saxophone Quartet. His works include three operas, 2 piano concertos, movie scores, three ballets, chamber and choral music. His first opera, A Caval Donato, commissioned and premiered by Teatro Verdi in Pisa in 1999, has since been produced at Teatro Vittorio Emanuele in Messina (Sicily). Mr. Scarcella Perino was chosen to write the music for Verdi, Merli and Cucù, an opera commissioned and premiered by Teatro Verdi in Busseto, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of death of Giuseppe Verdi in 2001. Blackout, had its world premiere in October 2003 at the Tarrytown Music Hall in New York, and had further productions at Teatro Piccolo Regio in Turin and at Teatro Savio in Messina. His newest cantata for children’s chorus, Le Passioni dell’Anima, the sequel to his successful Le Passioni dell’Aria, will be premiered in Messina and New York in April 2017. Spring 2016 will see the world premiere of La Scolta, a new work for mezzo-soprano, women's chorus and orchestra performed by the SolEnsemble. Mr. Scarcella Perino is a Senior Lecturer at the NYU Italian Department and a Scholar in Residence at the American Institute for Verdi Studies. He has been the recipient of numerous high honors and awards, including an International Competition for Children’s Opera and the Musical Analysis International Competition N. Slonimskij. He holds degrees in Piano and in Composition from the Conservatory Martini in Bologna. He studied composition at Accademia di Santa Cecilia, in Milan at Accademia Petrassi, and also Conducting at the Juilliard School of Music. He graduated from the University of Bologna with a degree in Musicology and he taught Music Analysis at the Arturo Toscanini Foundation in Parma. Every summer, Roberto teaches a course on Italian Opera at NYU in Florence and in he is currently teaching a new class of Italian Through Opera at New York University.

Federica Anichini is a scholar in Medieval Italian Literature. She holds a PhD in Medieval Literature from New York University. In 2009, she published the monograph Voices of the Body. Liminal Grammar in Guido Cavalcanti Rime. She has been teaching at the College level (Smith College, The College of New Jersey, Fordham University), and is currently teaching Italian Literature at La Scuola d’Italia Guglielmo Marconi, in New York. Over the past few years, Federica has worked with Roberto Scarcella Perino at the composition of musical pieces for children, writing the lyrics. The Passioni dell’anima is their second set. Le passioni dell’aria was completed in 2014.