Cd Front Cover View CD Back

Relive the passion, glamor and romance of Hollywoods' roaring 20's through Charles Mandracchia's sweeping and enchanting score. See what the reviewers have to say!

VALENTINO THE MUSICAL
ORIGINAL RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE
ON THE WEB AND IN MUSIC STORES
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

The concept recording of Valentino The Musical, heralded by Access Hollywood's Pat O'Brien as having a, "score as lush and romantic as old Hollywood," is now available in Virgin Record Megastores, Footlights Records in New York and Medium Rare Records in San Francisco among others, as well as through its website.

Valentino The Musical brings the life of Hollywood's most legendary star to the musical stage. Rudolph Valentino's incredible journey from a youth in Castellaneta, Italy, to his meteoric rise to fame as the world's first true superstar is captured in the music of Charles Mandracchia and lyrics of Francesca Di Giosa, the shows creators. Years of detailed research that led them from the streets of Castellaneta to the studios of Hollywood, inspired the team of Mandracchia and Di Giosa to faithfully bring the life of the romantic icon- a life arguably more dramatic than any of the character's he portrayed on the silent screen - to vibrant realization on the musical stage. Valentino The Musical was originally workshopped in a series of readings at New York City Opera and subsequently produced Off -Broadway, prompting such praise as, "Bravissimo! Valentino sings his way into your heart!" - Gail Sheehy, Vanity Fair. This high quality studio recording brings the best of these productions together to sing the life of this shining star and features the voices of Megan Thomas, Shea Curry and Jonathan Stewart among others.

Valentino's death at the age of 31 incited riots, suicides, and a media feeding frenzy worthy of today's tabloid culture. Valentino The Musical explores the man behind the celluloid myth, and the men and women who loved and betrayed him along the way. The musical, set against such backdrops as Manhattan's notorious Maxim's Dance Hall and the silent film sets of Valentino's greatest triumphs, investigates the rumors and innuendoes, as well as the real life and loves of this honest and self-effacing man, whose destiny forever cast him in the role of the world's greatest lover.

Composer Charles Mandracchia, whose music is described by David Roberts of Theater Reviews Limited as "not only heart felt, but gets to that place in the soul where all love begins and ends," began his career as an actor and singer on the Broadway stage. He appeared in such original Broadway productions as Tommy Tune's Grand

Hotel, and the revival of South Pacific, before turning to his true passion of composing music. Lyricist and librettist, Francesca Di Giosa brings to the table twenty years of creative experience in television, film and theatrical productions. Di Giosa's exhaustive research yielded such finds as the long forgotten letters and diaries of Rudolph Valentino, and presented her with such interesting opportunities as a tour of his rarely, if ever visited childhood home in Castellaneta. These elements along with others, contributed to the authentic recreation of the legend's life for the musical stage.
To listen to the Musical's score click here