Concert will present work by 'godfather' of film music

Many people won't recognize the name Nino Rota, but they can probably hum a few bars of his best known composition, the theme from the movie The Godfather.

Rota wrote film scores for numerous Italian and American movies. He collaborated on the theme for the movie Romeo and Juliet in 1968. The love theme, What Is a Youth, is also familiar to North American audiences. It is something of a favourite with music box makers.

Robert Hall, a professor of music at Laurentian University, teaches a course in film music. He will present a lecture on Rota Sunday, Jan. 27 at St. Andrew's Place. It will be followed by a concert celebrating Rota's compositions.

Rota, who was born in Milan in 1911 and died in Rome in 1979, was a classical music composer who wrote for many Federico Fellini films, Hall said.

His music set a mood in the films rather than drive the action the way composer John Williams does.

Hall plans to compare the two composers as well as play music and film clips during his lecture.

In addition to film scores, Rota wrote 10 operas and five ballets and other classical music.

The lecture and concert called Viva Rota! was conceived by musician Brian Quebec with the help of Iona Reed, Ron Kelly and Allan Walsh.

The musicians will perform Rota's work during the concert portion of the presentation.

General admission tickets for Viva! Rota!  are $15, tickets for students and seniors are $10. The lecture will start at 2:15 pm, and the concert will start at 3 pm.

-Vicki Gilhula