Otto e mezzo (Eight and a half) by Nino Rota, performed by ‘une fois seule!’ soprano Nadia Piave and pianist Sally Whitwell.

Nadia’s coming over to my studio this morn to rehearse a little cabaret for our appearance next week at Moorambilla Festival.  Ah!  It’ll be just like old times…

Gelsomina (La Strada) composed by Nino Rota for the soundtrack to Federico Fellini’s film La Strada.  Arranged for melodica, toy piano and harpsichord by Sally Whitwell for her album The Good, the Bad and the Awkward.  From the digital booklet…

“Italian director Federico Fellini cast muse (and wife) Giulietta Masina in his  Academy Award winning 1954 film La Strada (The Road).  Masina plays the character of Gelsomina, a young girl sold to an itinerant performer Zampano, a strongman played by Anthony Quinn who subjects her to continual psychological and physical intimidation.  Zampano casts her in the role of a clown, introducing his performances with trumpet and drum, and the ensuing tragicomic antics are amongst some of the most beautifully bittersweet moments in European cinema history.  Nino Rota’s Gelsominatheme, performed by her upon her trumpet throughout the film, symbolises her strength of spirit against the odds and, as often happens in tragedies, comes back to haunt Zampano in the end.”

Reblogged from alexleefitz:

I’m definitely taking my melodica with me when I fly to Melbourne in two days time to play in this festival.  

But I still feel a little unsure about the whole thing.  Do I really think they’ll like me playing Yann Tiersen on it?? And Nino Rota??? Lordy, I hope so!