February 1, 2007   The Composer and Man Who Founded the Spoleto Festival Dies at 95   While I was working on my blog this afternoon I received a phone call from an old friend, Victor Simpson, bureau chief for Associated Press in Rome. He knew that in 2006 and 2006 I worked as press attache' for the foreign press at the Spoleto Festival. He had a tip from AP in New York that the Festival's founder, Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti, had died suddenly in Monte Carlo. He needed a confirmation so I gave him the phone number of Menotti's son Francis. A few minutes later Victor called me back to say that Francis had confirmed the sad news, and to thank me for my help. I admired Victor, I've been a reporter for a long time but fortunately I've never had to make such a call. Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti was a major figure on the music scene during the 20th century. In 2005 I wrote the following press release for the Maestro's birthday:

"COMPOSER AND FOUNDER GIAN CARLO MENOTTI TURNS 94 DURING HIS BELOVED SPOLETO FESTIVAL

He has a hard time hearing the high notes of the violin but Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti, composer and founder of the Festival of Two Worlds at Spoleto, is still capable of being moved to tears by music. "I was not going to attend the opening concert because I know the music so well and I was tired," said the Mestro who turns 94 tomorrow (July 7), "But Mikko Franck, the young (26) conductor from Finland, drew me in with his joy and enthusiasm, and deeply touched my emotions."

(July 7, 2006: Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti cuts his 74th birthday cake in Spoleto) Speaking informally to the audience during intermission at the traditional daily Concerto di Mezzogiorno (Midday Concert) of the festival, Menotti declared that he was happy to see that the faithful still attended, and joked about his advancing age. "I don't hear the high notes any more, and when I complain to my son Francis that the violins aren't playing he tell me 'No, papa, you're getting deaf.' "

On his birthday Menotti will follow his usual routine during the festival. After his morning coffee he will take a brief stroll around the nearby Piazza del Duomo and then enjoy the noon concert which he has never missed since 1958. He then returns to his home and entertains friends and the concerto's artists in the hanging garden that overlooks the enormous Piazza.

That evening Menotti will then attend the 10 pm concert held in the courtyard of the ancient fortress (called "La Roccia" - The Rock) which overlooks the entire Umbrian town of Spoleto. Jean-Yves Thibaudet, the French pianist who played in the Festival's operning concert will accompany mezzo soprano Zandra McMaster in works by Hayden, Chopin, Kurt Weill, Benjamin Britten, R. Hahn, and P. Viardot. After the concert the festival's artists and staff will celebrate the Maestro's birthday during a dinner in the large garden overlooking the Duomo at his son's home. Francis, his wife Malinda Murphy and their sons Claudio, 17, and Cosimo, 14 will also attend.

According to his official biography, Menotti, born in 1911, is the most represented living composer in the world. His first work, Amelia Goes to the Ball, premiered at the Metropolitan in New York in 1937 followed by The Old Maid and the Thief, The Medium (1945), and The Telephone (1947). The Consul (1950) won the Pulitzer Prize for best musical opera. In 1951 he wrote Amahl and the Night Visitors which is often shown on TV in the United States during the Christmas season. He won a second Pulitzer Prize with The Saint of Bleecker Street in 1954.

This is the 48th edition of the Spoleto Festival.

(Poster for 2006 Spoleto Festival by Mitoraj)    In 1958, Menotti put composing momentarily aside in order to dedicate his efforts to the creation of the Spoleto Festival where he was its undisputed host and director since its beginning. The original concept was to bring and perform music from the "new world" to the old, hence the name "Festival of the Two Worlds." Many patrons of the arts from the United States supported the festival. He also directed many of the operas performed at the festival including his own compositions. For his opera "Goya" he managed to secure the attendance of Queen Sophia of Spain.

"Gian Carlo is a real magician, a sorcerer," says old friend Sir Humphrey Wakefield, who has his own family music festival (since 1852) at his stately home in England "His dealer told him it was impossible but he got Balthus to do a festival poster for him which was probably the artist's last work before he died."

In 1977 Gian Carlo Menotti brought the Spoleto Festival to the United States to Charleston, South Carolina, and directed it for 17 years. From 1986, he also directed three editions of the Festival in Melbourne, Australia. He later decided to dedicate his time to his music and composed Trio for Piano, Violin and Clarinet as well as Jacob's Prayer, a cantata for choir and orchestra which was presented in San Diego, California, in 1997. From 1992 to 1994, he was the Artistic Director of the Opera in Rome.

Menotti's son Francis took over as artistic director of the festival in 1997. Menotti's house, a former tower overlooking Spoleto's Piazza del Duomo, became unlivable after the earthquake of 1997 and son Francis struggled for years with burocracy and workers to complete the repairs. "I finally got him his house back after eight years, that was my birthday present this year," he said. "We are all thrilled that my father made it to 94 years, his presence is so important and I'm amazed that he gets around so well."

Gian Carlo Menotti was born in Cadegliano (Varese) July 7, 1911."

(end of my press release from 2005)

It was a great privilege for me to work with the Menottis. I was especially proud to have convinced the editors of Architectural Digest to publish in July 2006 a feature written by Joseph Giovannini and beautiful photographs by Mario Ciampi of both Gian Carlo and Francis' homes in Spoleto. We spent two days with him. While we ate lunch he entertained us by playing some of his compositions on the beautiful Steinway baby grand piano given to him by Alice Tulley, one of the American patrons of the Festival. I was told that Gian Carlo later proudly showed the magazine to his friends. On the day the photographs took place I remained alone for a while with the Maestro.

(Maestro Menotti plays the Steinway piano for luncheon guests, February 4, 2006)    The Maestro and I chatted for some while, but I didn't want to tire him. So I asked if he would like me to play something for him, especially since I had been lusting to touch the keys of the shiny black piano. "Of course, my dear," he answered with his usual gallantry. He was a great gentleman, with such courtly manners. It was some months since I had touched my own piano, and I'm afraid that I missed several keys as I played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Each time I could hear a soft "Unnnnhhhh" come from the Maestro. On my third "stecca" (what the Italians call a mistake) I took pity on him and stopped, saying "Maestro, I can't stand seeing a grown man suffer." He smiled sweetly at me with considerable relief.

He complained to me as well as many others that he regretted having dedicated so much of his time to the festival and not enough to his music. But he has left an impressive musical legacy. He invented the multi-faceted festival, the first of its kind, which combined chamber music concerts, opera, theater, cinema, dance, theater, jazz, science, economics, mock-trials of famous historical figures, and visual arts, was unique and cutting-edge. It jump-started the careers of many artists. And "Spoleto-like" festivals have sprung up all over the world, including the new one in the Tidewater area of my home state, Virginia.

(July 2006: Maestro Gian Carlo Menotti chats with conductor Alexander Liebreich at Spoleto festival closing dinner)   The last time I saw the Maestro was at the dinner after the closing concert of the 2006 Spoleto Festival. It was almost 2am but he was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, having an animated conversation with the german conductor of the concert, Alexander Liebreich. The handsome young conductor was hanging on the Maestro's every word, who was confiding his problems with archiving his extensive musical compositions. (Liebreicht told me that the next day when we had breakfast together.) I would have loved to linger, but I could tell it was an intense, intimate conversation, and I felt compelled to respect their privacy and their common passion for music. It was the last time I saw the Maestro.

Maestro Menotti and his son Francis were in Monte Carlo along with costume and set designer John Pascoe to prepare a special edition of "The Medium," one of his most famous operas, to be presented on February 9. Menotti was taken to Princess Grace Hospital where he died today at 2:30 pm. At the end of his birthday party in 2005 he told his son and grandsons: "I'm a gambling man and I bet you all that I will be around to celebrate the 50th edition of the festival in 2007."

Unfortunately it was not to be.

Obit from the Washington Post:
Opera's Gian Carlo Menotti; Popular Composer of 'Amahl'

Article by Tim Page of the Washington Post:
The Melodrama And Melodies Of a Singular Composer

Obit from the New York Times:
Gian Carlo Menotti, Opera Composer, Dies at 95    (has mp3s of some of Menotti's works)

Obit from Associated Press:
Composer Gian Carlo Menotti Dies at 95

Obit from Reuters:
Gian Carlo Menotti, Italian Festival Founder, Dies