"A Renaissance man, who is insuppressible in his wish to cover everything with his talent" this is how outstanding Russian theater director Yuri Lyubimov speaks about his friend, the prominent Italian screenwriter, poet, artist and sculptor Tonino Guerra. On March 16 Guerra turns 90. Lyubimov timed the first night of his new production in the Moscow Taganka Theater which is based on Guerra's poem "Honey" to this date.
It is quite natural that Guerra's birthday is celebrated not only in Italy but also in Russia. The Italian master has a lot of friends in our country. Moreover his wife is Russian and he loves her passionately. The screenwriter worked together with such great Italian film makers as Fellini, Antonioni, Visconti, De Sica but also with many Russian filmmakers including Andrei Tarkovsky, who was his friend for many years. Besides that Guerra regularly reads lectures and conducts workshops at the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography.
Guerra likes to say that in Russia with its long winter, people need stories to keep warm. Inspired by the Russian culture he creates his beautiful poems. For example, he has two poems dedicated to Moscow and to St. Petersburg, The Italian architecture of the central part of St. Petersburg, beautiful buildings built by his compatriots architects Francesco Rastrelli and Carlo Rossi inspired Guerra to write them. Guerra is a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, holder of the Order of People's Friendship and the prize of the Moscow International Film festival "For Contribution to the World Art".
The Moscow theater production by Yury Lyubimov is a new declaration of love to the Italian master. Tonino Guerra will definitely see the production in late May when the Taganka theater goes on tour to Rome.
Please rate: