The Italian Variations – piano concert of Mario Mariani

Mario Mariani’s concert, the Italian Variations is an entertaining homage to the Italian music, with a show that unites various branches of music, such as classical, pop and cinematographic, all of which made the Italian culture worldwide known and truly loved. For the 100th anniversary of legendary filmmaker, Pier Paolo Pasolini’s birth, the programme pays homage to him also, presenting his music in more than one way: inspired by his most famous works (Accattone; Che cose sono le nuvole?; Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom) as well as the transcribed versions of his films’ music.

Known for his eclectic and emotional plays, Mariani approaches the piano as an unconventional orchestra. Among the transcribed versions composed by him, he delights us with variations of different styles and techniques, bordering improvisation. Mariani’s piano is a unique merging of other instruments (for instance rulers, glass balls, beaters and various objects), thus making the piano become a band itself and creating a dramatic performance.  

Mario Mariani was born in Pesaro in 1970, graduated in the Gioachino Rossini Conservatory. After that, he started working as a composer and pianist, playing at several Italian and international festivals. He has a partnership (both as a composer and pianist) with prestigious establishments like independent theaters (the Milanese Piccolo Teatro, Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia, Teatro Stabile delle Marche), the Biennale in Venice and various Italian cultural institutions abroad. All of the music for Vittorio Moroni and Matteo Pellegrini’s films were composed by him. Discography: Utopiano (2010, Vivirecords), Elementalea (2012, Alabianca/Zingaroton), The Soundtrack Variations (2017, Intemporanea/ Halidon), The Rossini Variations (2018, Intemporanea, Artist First), V.I.T.R.I.O.L. (2020, Intemporanea/ ThinkClouds/ The Orchard).

Programme: 

Nino Rota – The Godfather
Gioachino Rossini - La Gazza ladra (Ouverture)
Mario Mariani – Figaro’s dream (paraphrase for G. Rossini’s Largo al factotum theme)
Pasolini Medley – From films ’Accattone’, ’Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom’, ’Che cose sono le nuvole?’
Mario Mariani - The Goldrake Variations
Nino Rota - Fellini Suites (for Federico Fellin’s films)
                   L’Uccello Magico (from ’Casanova’, 1975)
                   Amarcord (1973)
                   8 ½ (1963)
Gioachino Rossini - Dance - Tarantella Napoletana

Ticket price: 2.500 Ft.  

Tickets are available at the cash desk of the Urania National Filmtheater, our website: www.urania-nf.hu and in the Ticket Sale System of Jegymester (jegy.hu).

The concert is a collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institution of Budapest, supported by the NKA, and the first event of the film scores concert series called FILM-ZENE-TEREMTÉS.

Director: