Nino Rota was born on 3 December 1911 in Milan. He grew up surrounded by music, his mother was a pianist and the daughter of a composer.  At the age of twelve he wrote an oratorio whose performance established him as a child prodigy. In the same year he entered the Milan Conservatory. After a brief period of study with I. Pizzetti he moved to Rome in 1926.  There he studied with A. Casella and got his diploma at the conservatory three years later.  On the advice of A. Toscanini he studied composition (with R. Scalero) and conducting (with F. Reiner) at Curtis Institute in Philadelphia from 1931-1932. There he met  A. Copland and discovered American popular songs, great Hollywood films and the music of Gershwin. 

On his return to Italy he attracted the attention of audiences and critics with predominantly chamber and orchestral works.  After World War II, Rota’s critical fortunes altered considerably when his work was increasingly judged to be anachronistic. This opinion was strengthened by his growing establishment as a film composer.  He continued to write music for the concert hall and the opera house with a remarkable success which is even increasing today.  He became a lecturer at Bari Conservatory (1939) and later its director (1950-1977).  In 1952 he started his cooperation with Fellini which lasted until Rota’s death.  Rota’s film music, amounting to over 150 titles, included collaborations with Visconti, Zeffirelli and F. F. Coppola.  Rota died on 10 April 1979 in Rome. 

His oeuvre comprises 10 operas, 23 stage works and ballets, 3 symphonies, 3 piano concertos, 3 cello concertos, chamber music and choral works.

Nino Rota website: www.ninorota.com      
 Archivio Rota www.cini.it 

 Information on Nino Rota's film scores