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Roman Vlad
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Interview
Biography
Roman Vlad is currently Artistic Director of La Scala, Milan. Composer, pianist and
musicologist, he was born in 1919 in Cernauti in Romania (now Cernovtzy, in the Ukraine).
Before leaving his native city he was awarded a diploma in the pianoforte from the
Conservatory and in 1938 he moved to Rome, acquiring Italian citizenship in 1951. He
attended Rome University and was awarded a diploma in 1942, studying under Alfredo Casella
at the National Academy of Santa Cecilia. His symphony won the ENESCU prize in 1942. After
the Second World War, Roman Vlad, while continuing his work as a concert pianist and
composer, became known as a writer and speaker in Italy, as well as Germany, France the
USA and elsewhere. From 1954 to 1955 he taught at he Summer School of Music at Dartington
Hall.
Artistic Director of the Academia Filarmonica Romana from '55 to '58 and from '66 to
'69, he was also co-director of the musical section of the Enciclopedia dello Spettacolo
(1958-62). He has also been President of the Italian Society of Contemporary Music (1960),
consultant and contributor to the Third Programme of RAI, Artistic Director of the Maggio
Musicale in 1964 and of the Teatro Comunale of Florence (1968-72). He has been President
of the Società Aquilana dei Concerti (from 1973 to 1992) and Superintendent of the Teatro
dell'Opera of Rome. Since 1967 he has been co-director of the Nuova Rivista Musicale
Italiana, and from 1973 to 1989 was Artistic Director of the RAI Radio-Televisione
Italiana Symphony Orchestra of Turin. From 1980 to 1982 and from 1990 to 1994, he was
President of the C.I.S.A.C. (Confédération Internationale des Auteurs et Compositeurs).
He is currently a member of the administrative council of C.I.S.A.C and of the
management committee of National Academy of Santa Cecilia. Artistic Consultant to the
Ravenna Festival, the Festival Settembre Musica and the Festival Musicale of Ravello. In
1994 he was nominated President of the Academia Filarmonica Romana. Roman Vlad is the
author of symphony, chamber and theatrical works, including Cinque elegie su testi biblici
(1990), Melodia variata (1990) and the recent Stagioni giapponesi, 24 Haiku (1993-1994).
He has composed music for the stage and film, including La beautè du diable by Renè
Clair. He has contributed to many publications in Italy and elsewhere and has worked with
many theatres and with RAI. |
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