Franco Battiato (born March 23, 1945) is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer, filmmaker and (as Süphan Barzani) painter. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Roman Odeon. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ... Year 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The EMI Group (LSE: EMI) is a British music company comprising of the major record company EMI Music which operates several labels, based in Kensington in London, England, and EMI Music Publishing, based in New York. ... is the 82nd day of the year (83rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ...

He is considered one of the most original personalities in Italian music from the 1970s to now. Together with Alice, Franco Battiato represented Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest 1984 with the melody "I treni di Tozeur". Battiato's songs are dreamy, controversial collages of images and sensations, very experimental and convoluted, with a quasi-dadaist disrespect for what is passed as 'artsy' or 'trendy' by the intelligentsia. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Alice (real name Carla Bissi, born September 26, 1954) is an Italian singer/songwriter, active since 1971. ... The Eurovision Song Contest 1984 was the 29th Eurovision Song Contest and was held on May 5, 1984 in Luxembourg. ... I treni di Tozeur (English translation: The Trains of Tozeur) is an Italian song, written by Franco Battiato, Rosario Cosentino and Giusto Pio. ... The notion of an intellectual elite as a distinguished social stratum can be traced far back in history. ...

His collaborations (from 1994 onward) with the nihilistic-cynical philosopher Manlio Sgalambro have added further depth to his apparently nonsensical lyrics, with references to Emil Cioran, Friedrich Nietzsche and other anarchistic and problematic thinkers. Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical position which argues that the world, especially past and current human existence, is without objective meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value. ... Manlio Sgalambro (philosopher and poet) was born in Lentini in 1924. ... Emil Cioran Emil Cioran (April 8, 1911 – June 20, 1995) was a Romanian philosopher and essayist. ... Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (October 15, 1844 – August 25, 1900) (IPA: ) was a 19th-century German philosopher. ... Anarchism is a political philosophy or group of philosophies and attitudes centered on rejection of any form of compulsory authority[1] and government[2] (cf. ...

Biography

Early years and experimental period

Francesco Battiato was born in Jonia di Riposto, in the province of Catania (Sicily). Riposto is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Catania in the Italian region Sicily, located about 170 km east of Palermo and about 25 km northeast of Catania. ... Catania (Italian: Provincia di Catania) is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily in Italy. ... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

At the age of 20 he moved to Milan and in 1968 he obtained the first musical contract. He scored some success with the romantic song È l'amore. After further covers of pop songs, he met the experimental musician Juri Camisasca in 1970 and collaborated with Osage Tribe, an Italian psychedelic-progressive rock band. As a solo he released the science-fiction single "La convenzione" ("The convention"), one of the finest Italian progressive rock songs of the 1970s. This article is about the city in Italy. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ...

Starting from 1971, Battiato devoted much of his efforts to experimental electronic music, producing a series of LPs that remained almost unknown at the time, but are now eagerly sought by collectors worldwide. Starting out with electronic progressive rock with some emphasis on vocals, his music became increasingly experimental, gradually moving into the realms of musique concrète and minimalism: Fetus (1971, whose cover was censored), Pollution (1972), Sulle Corde di Aries (1973), Clic (1974) and M.lle Le Gladiator (1975). Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that Electronica be merged into this article or section. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... // Much like electroacoustic music, Musique concrète (French; literally, concrete music), has been subject to conflicting perceptions about its character. ... Minimalist music is a genre of experimental or Downtown music named in the 1960s based mostly in consonant harmony, steady pulse (if not immobile drones), stasis and slow transformation, and often reiteration of musical phrases or smaller units such as figures, motifs, and cells. ...

In 1975 he passed to Ricordi label, producing Battiato (1975), Juke Box (1976) and the experimental L'Egitto prima delle sabbie ("Egypt Before the Sands", 1977), which won the Stockhausen award for contemporary music. Casa Ricordi was a classical music publishing company founded in 1808 as G. Ricordi & Co. ... Karlheinz Stockhausen (born August 22, 1928) is a German composer, and one of the most important and controversial composers of the 20th century. ...

La voce del padrone was the first Italian album to sell more than 1,000,000 copies, and launched Battiato as a star of the music industry.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

National success

After having been fired by Ricordi, Battiato signed a contract for EMI. Largely, though not wholly, abandoning the experiments of the early years, he moved to a more pop-oriented style which afforded him ever increasing popularity with Italian audiences. In this period his albums were usually in collaboration with the renowned musician and violinist Giusto Pio, whose two later albums were produced by Battiato. The EMI Group (LSE: EMI) is a British music company comprising of the major record company EMI Music which operates several labels, based in Kensington in London, England, and EMI Music Publishing, based in New York. ...

After L'era del cinghiale bianco ("The Era of the White Boar") 1979 and Patriots (1980), Battiato obtained astounding success with La voce del padrone ("The Master's Voice") in 1981, which was the first Italian LP to sell more than one million copies. The commercial success was confirmed by L'arca di Noè ("Noah's Ark") in 1982. Songs like "L'era del cinghiale bianco", "Prospettiva Nevskij" ("Nevsky Prospekt"), "Centro di gravità permanente" ("Constant Centre of Gravity"), "Bandiera bianca" ("White Flag"), "Voglio vederti danzare" ("I Want to See You Dancing"), with their original mix of Oriental and philosophical fashions with pop rhythms, established Battiato's status as one of the most capable and intelligent musicians in Italy. Many of the songs of this era contained parts in English and, most of all, Arab, a language that Battiato had started to study after a trip to Turkey. Battiato's albums were also published in Spanish and English versions. See also: Musical groups established in 1981 Record labels established in 1981 other events of 1981 list of years in music 1980s in music // January 10 - Revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta The Pirates of Penzance opens at Broadways Uris Theatre, starring Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith February... Arabic is a Semitic language, closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ...

Orizzonti perduti ("Lost Horizons") 1983, which Battiato himself called "a kipper", was followed by the successful Mondi lontanissimi ("Most Distant Worlds", 1985), which featured the popular "I treni di Tozeur" ("The Trains of Tozeur), the science-fiction/metaphysical "Via Lattea" ("Milky Way") and "No Time No Space".

More than 300,000 copies of 1988's Fisiognomica (Physiognomic) sold, confirmed Battiato's status. It contained the song "Nomadi" ("Nomads"), written by his old friend Camisasca, who in the meantime had retired to a Franciscan convent. One of the songs on the album was performed by director/actor Nanni Moretti in his 1989 movie Palombella Rossa. Giovanni (Nanni) Moretti (born August 19, 1953) is an Italian film director. ...

Come un cammello su una grondaia ("Like a Camel in a Gutter") 1991, was divided into two parts, the second made up by classical German lieder. Among the pop songs, "Povera patria" ("My Poor Native Land"), a poetical denouncement of Italy's lack of culture and honesty, became a kind of hymn of the civil society rebelling against the mafioso attempts of the following year against judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. Lied (plural Lieder) is a German word, literally meaning song; among English speakers, however, it is used primarily as a term for European classical music songs, also known as art songs. Typically, Lieder are arranged for a single singer and piano. ... This article is about the organized crime groups. ... Giovanni Falcone during the Maxi Trial Giovanni Falcone, (May 18, 1939 – May 23, 1992) was an Italian magistrate who specialised in prosecuting Cosa Nostra crimes. ... Paolo Borsellino (January 19, 1940 - July 19, 1992) was an Italian anti-Mafia magistrate. ...

Pio and Battiato also worked as producers for several singers, including Alice and Giuni Russo, and for two of Milva's albums. Milva, on the cover of Von Tag zu Tag album 1979 Milva, real name Maria Ilva Biolcati is a famous Italian singer, actress and Tv personality. ...

Starting from 1987, Battiato also produced several classical operas: Genesi, Gilgamesh (1992) and Il Cavaliere dell'Intelletto (1994). In 1990 he also began to experiment with painting, initially under the pseudonym of Süphan Barzani. Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ...

Franco Battiato and his collaborator, the philosopher Manlio Sgalambro (in the picture) on a 1995 CD cover.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Collaboration with Manlio Sgalambro

In 1994 Battiato began to collaborate with the Sicilian philosopher Manlio Sgalambro, who was to write almost all the lyrics of his following albums. Manlio Sgalambro (philosopher and poet) was born in Lentini in 1924. ...

After the tentative L'ombrello e la macchina da cucire of 1995, in 1996 the duo published what is considered their best work so far, L'imboscata, containing the romantic hit "La cura", elected best Italian song of the year.

Gommalacca (1998), Ferro battuto (2000) and Dieci stratagemmi (2004) continued on the same path, with variations mainly set by Battiato's unceasing desire of musical experimentation.

In 2003 Battiato released his first feature film, Perduto amor ("Lost love"), for which he also composed the soundtrack. The movie won the Silver Ribbon for the best debutant director. However, heavy criticism struck against his following movie, Musikanten, a rather experimental work about Beethoven's last four years of life. The German musician was played by the Chilean director Alejandro Jodorowsky. A portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820 Ludwig van Beethoven (IPA: ), (baptized December 17, 1770[1] – March 26, 1827) was a composer and one of the pillars of European classical music. ... Alejandro (or Alexandro) Jodorowsky Alejandro Jodorowsky or Alexandro Jodorowsky (IPA: ) (born February 7, 1929, in Tocopilla, Chile) is an actor, playwright, director, producer, composer, mime, comic book writer and psychotherapist born to Ashkenazi Jewish parents of Russian origin. ...

In 2004 he hosted a cultural show for a satellite channel of RAI, the Italian state network. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Trivia

• In 1999 Battiato released a collection of covers of Italian love songs, Fleurs. He repeated the experiment three years later with an album inexplicabily numbered Fleurs 3, no "Fleurs 2" having been released in the meantime.
• Battiato's cover of The Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday," originally released on Fleurs, is prominently featured in the 2006 film, Children of Men.

The Rolling Stones are an English band whose blues, rhythm and blues and rock and roll-infused music became popular during the British Invasion in the early 1960s. ... For the restaurant named after the song, see Ruby Tuesday (restaurant). ... Children of Men is a 2006 dystopian science fiction film loosely adapted from P.D. James 1992 novel The Children of Men. ...

Discography

1970s

• La Convenzione (1971)
• Fetus (1971)
• Pollution (1972)
• Sulle corde di Aries (1973)
• Clic (1974)
• M.lle le "Gladiator" (1975)
• Feed Back (1975)
• Battiato (1976)
• Juke Box (1977)
• L'Egitto prima delle sabbie (1978)
• L'era del cinghiale bianco (1979)

Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar) of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. ... A blonde haired, very skilled worker with a 70s look. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

1980s

• Patriots (1980)
• La voce del Padrone (1981)
• L'arca di Noè (1982)
• Orizzonti perduti (1983)
• Mondi lontanissimi (1985)
• Echoes of Sufi Dances (1985, in English)
• Nomadas (1987)
• Fisiognomica (1988)
• Giubbe Rosse (1989, live)

Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Giubbe Rosse is one of the most famous café of Florence (Italy). ...

1990s

• Come un cammello in una grondaia (1991)
• Caffè de la Paix (1993)
• Unprotected (1994, live)
• L'ombrello e la macchina da cucire (1995)
• Battiato studio collection (1996, collection)
• L'imboscata (1996)
• Shadow Light (1996)
• Battiato live collection (1997, live)
• Gommalacca (1998)
• Fleurs (1999)

Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ...

2000s

• Campi magnetici (2000)
• Ferro battuto (2001)
• Fleurs 3 (2002)
• Last Summer Dance (2003, live)
• Dieci stratagemmi (2004)
• Il vuoto (2007)

2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Dieci Stratagemmi (Ten Stratagems) is an album by Franco Battiato. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Operas

• Genesi (1987)
• Gilgamesh (1992)
• Messa arcaica (1994)
• Il Cavaliere dell'Intelletto (1994) - not published on CD

The Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. ...

Filmography

• Perdutoamor (2003, also screenplay)
• Musikanten (2005)

Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Franco Battiato Official Web Site
• Franco Battiato discography (Music City)