Roberto De Simone | |
|---|---|
 De Simone with Odette Nicoletti (1989) | |
| Born | 25 August 1933 (1933-08-25) (age 91) Naples, Italy |
Roberto De Simone (born 25 August 1933) is an Italian stage director, playwright, composer andethnomusicologist.
Born inNaples, after graduating in piano and composition at theSan Pietro a Maiella Conservatory De Simone started an intense concert activity, performing as anharpsichordist in theDomenico Scarlatti Orchestra.[1] At the same time he started being active as an ethnomusical researcher and essayist, mainly focused on the southern Italy folk music of oral tradition, with also some interest intarantism and funeral laments.[2] In the second half of the 1960s he met some musicians who shared with him an interest in traditional music, and this encounter led to the foundation of theNuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, with whom De Simone collaborated for a decade.[1][2][3]
In 1976 he made his debut as a playwright (also serving as librettist, composer and director) with the stage musicalLa Gatta Cenerentola, which was first staged at theFestival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto and later enjoyed national and international success.[1][2][3] Other notable stage works includeMistero napoletano,L'Opera buffa del Giovedì Santo, andStabat Mater.[1][2][3] He served as artistic director of theSan Carlo Theatre in Naples and director of theNaples Conservatory.[3] He also composed several film scores.[2]
