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Bernardo Bertolucci, the Italian director whose films were known for their colorful visual style, was born in Parma, Italy. He attended Rome University and became famous as a poet. He served as assistant director for Pier Paolo Pasolini in the film Accattone (1961) and directed The Grim Reaper (1962). His second film, Before the Revolution (1964), which was released in 1971, received an Academy Award nomination for best screenplay. Bertolucci also received an Academy Award nomination as best director for Last Tango in Paris (1972), and the best director and best screenplay for the film The Last Emperor (1987), which walked away with nine Academy Awards.

One of France's most beloved character stars from the 1950s through and including the 1980s was the Italian-born Lino Ventura. Born Angiolino Joseph Pascal Ventura to Giovanni Ventura and Luisa Borrini, on July 14, 1919, in Parma (northern) Italy, young Lino moved with his family at a young age to Paris, where he grew up. A school dropout at age eight, Lino drifted from job to job (mechanic's apprentice, etc.), unable to decide on what to do for a living. Marrying in 1942 at age 23, he and wife Odette Ventura had four children.

Lino finally found a career calling as a Greek/Roman-styled wrestler and went on to become a professional European champion in 1950. He was forced to abandon this sporting life, however, after incurring a serious injury in the ring. Looking for gangster types for his next film, director Jacques Becker gave the inexperienced 34-year-old his first acting job as bad guy support to star Jean Gabin in the crime thriller Don't Touch the Loot (1954) [Grisbi]. Gabin was impressed and did more than just encourage Lino to pursue acting as a living. Lino went on to appear with Gabin in several of the star's subsequent movies, often playing a gangster, including Razzia (1955) [Razzia], Crime and Punishment (1956), Speaking of Murder (1957) [Crime and Punishment] and Inspector Maigret (1958) [Inspector Maigret].

A tough, brutish, burly-framed presence, Lino came into his own as a tough-nut character star in the 1960s playing both sides of the moral fence. Adept in both light comedy and dark-edged drama, he appeared in scores of films now considered classic French cinema. His homely, craggy-looking mug took the form of various criminals types as in Le deuxième souffle (1966) [Second Breath] and Happy New Year (1973) [Happy New Year], as well as dogged, good-guy inspectors in The French Detective (1975) [The French Detective], Illustrious Corpses (1976) [Illustrious Corpses'], and The Grilling (1981). Lino bore a patented weight-of-the-world-on-his-shoulders countenance that audiences sympathized with, even when playing the arch-villain. Over the course of three decades he built up an impressive gallery of blue-collar protagonists. Not to be missed are his embittered, vengeful husband in Witness in the City (1959) [Witness in the City]; corrupt police chief Tiger Brown in Three Penny Opera (1963) [The Threepenny Opera]; a WWII French Resistance fighter in Army of Shadows (1969) [Army in the Shadows]; and Mafia boss Vito Genovese in Charles Bronson's The Valachi Papers (1972), among many, many others. Toward the end of his career he played Jean Valjean in a French production of Les Misérables (1982) for which he received a Cesar award nomination (i.e, the French "Oscar"). He performed practically until the time of his fatal heart attack in 1987 at age 68 in his beloved France. Survivors included his wife of 45 years and children. Daughter Mylene died in a plane crash in 1998 and wife Odette died in 2013.

Paola Borboni was born on 1 January 1900 in Golese di Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She was an actress, known for Roman Holiday (1953), I Vitelloni (1953) and I Have Lost My Husband (1937). She was married to Bruno Vilar. She died on 9 April 1995 in Bodio Lomnago, Lombardy, Italy.

Giuseppe Verdi was born Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi on October 10, 1813, in Le Roncole di Busseto, Parma, Italy. His parents were landowners and innkeepers. Young Verdi received his first organ lessons at the age of 7. He studied composition privately with Ferdinando Provesi in Busseto. At age 20 he moved to Milan to continue his studies, but the Conservatory of Music rejected him. Verdi took private lessons and associated with Milan's cultural milieu in his pursuit of a musical career. He was patronized by Antonio Barezzi, a merchant, whose daughter, Margherita, was Verdi's student and later became his wife.

His first opera, Oberto (1839), was a successful production by Milan's Theatro La Scala. While Verdi continued working on his second opera, his wife and two children died. The second opera failed, and he suffered a depression and vowed to quit musical career. La Scala impresario, Merelli, persuaded him to write a third opera. Nabucco (1842) made Verdi famous. He followed the Bel Canto style of Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini. Verdi's best operas were based on plays by Victor Hugo, such as 'Ernani' (1844) and 'Rigoletto' (1851). In 1853 Verdi 's masterpiece 'La Traviata' was produced in Venice. It was based on 'The Lady of the Camelias', a play by Alexandre Dumas, fils. At that time Verdi became familiar with the music of Russian composer Mikhail Glinka who was popularized in Europe by Franz Liszt. The music of Mikhail Glinka had certain influence on Verdi's later operas.

In 1861 Verdi wrote 'La forza del destino' commissioned by the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, upon the recommendations by Aleksandr Borodin. It was performed with great success in 1862, and became part of a standard operatic repertoire ever since. His grand-opera 'Aida' (1871) was premiered in Cairo as part of the celebrations of the opening of the Suez Canal, and became an instant success. In his later operas Verdi turned from the style of Bel Canto to more expressive music and orchestration, like in 'Otello' (1887), based on the eponymous play by Shakespeare. Verdi's last and musically most brilliant, rich and expressive opera, 'Falstaff' (1893), was based on the Shakespeare's play "The Merry Wives of Windsor" in the adaptation of Victor Hugo.

Verdi's musical success coincided with the political events of Italian unification during the Austrian occupation. The 'Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves' from his opera 'Nabucco' (1842), became a popular song among supporters of Italian unification. Many of his opera performances were used by the supporters of Victor Emmanuel to shout "Viva Verdi" as a code name for a secret unification message. The name Verdi was used as acronym for "Vittorio Emanuele Re D'Italia" - Victor Emmanuel, King of Italy. Such a code enabled clandestine partisans of Victor Emmanuel, then the King of Sardinia, to gain more supporters in Milan which eventually led to the unification of Italy. Verdi was aware that his popular operas and his name was used as a political tool. Austrian censorship was powerless.

In 1861 Victor Emmanuel became the King of Italy in Turin. From 1861-1865 Giuseppe Verdi was elected representative of Busseto in the newly formed Italian parliament. After Garibaldi's military campaign the capital was moved to Florence, then to Rome, and Verdi returned from politics to music. He lived in Milan during the last years of his life. He was revered and honoured all over the world, and was much visited by his admirers. He died on January 27, 1901, in Milan, and was laid to rest at the Casa di Riposo, a retirement home for elderly musicians that was established by Verdi himself.

Verdi's music was used in hundreds of film scores. His operas has been the staples of operatic repertoire. His canzonas "La donna è mobile" from opera 'Rigoletto' (1851) and "Libiamo ne'lieti calici" (Drinking song) from 'La Traviata' (1853) has been popular concert numbers in performances by the three tenors: Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras.

Paola Pitagora was born on 24 August 1941 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She is an actress, known for Fists in the Pocket (1965), Unknown Woman (1969) and I promessi sposi (1967).

Leading Italian actress of all media, born Lydia (or Lidia) Alfonsi in Parma, the daughter of well-to-do middle class parents. She briefly trained in accountancy before venturing on to the stage as a member of student amateur theatrical troupes. With "Gli amici della prose" she performed a play by Luigi Pirandello which won her a best actress competition in Pesaro. Having attracted the attention of one of the judges, the director Anton Giulio Bragaglia, Alfonsi was invited to join his company and duly made her professional theatrical debut in 1946. From 1950, she also appeared on screen, wrote and recited poetry, as well as writing and working in radio as a voice actress. Though acclaimed for her roles on the classical stage (including as Medea, Phaedra and Electra) she is probably best known abroad as a protagonist of peplum and swashbuckler films like Hercules (1958), Morgan the Pirate (1960) and The Trojan Horse (1961) (all starring muscleman Steve Reeves). Alfonsi also co-starred alongside Boris Karloff in Mario Bava 's atmospheric psycho- thriller Black Sabbath (1963) (her character coming to a sticky end at the hands of Milo Quesada). This was originally shot with the cast voicing their lines in English, only for the dialogue to be wiped, dubbed into Italian and subtitled. She had another first-billed role in Lady Dynamite (1973) as the eponymous heroine, exacting Sicilian-style vendetta in Palermo on the local Mafia don responsible for the murder of her husband. For the small screen, Alfonsi essayed the ill-fated 18th century aristocrat Luisa Sanfelice in a seven-episode miniseries.

Alfonsi was named a Grand Officer of the Italian Republic by then-president of Italy Alessandro Pertini. She retired from screen acting in 1997.

Francesco Barilli was born on 4 February 1943 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He is a director and writer, known for L'urlo (2019), Hotel Fear (1978) and The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974).

Lorenzo Adorni was born on 15 October 1992 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He is an actor, known for Adagio (2023), L'amor fuggente and Mascarpone (2021).

Arturo Toscanini was the most celebrated conductor of his time, considered by many to be the greatest conductor of the twentieth century. He revolutionized musical interpretation by frequently insisting that his orchestras play the music exactly as written, a highly unusual practice in the nineteenth century, when Toscanini began his career. He conducted the world premieres of such operas as Puccini's "La Boheme" and "Turandot", and Leoncavallo's "Pagliacci". During his lifetime and for a short while afterwards,he was revered by critics (and still is by the older ones.) Today's younger critics, however, tend to look down on him, and call his fidelity to the printed score "lack of imagination" - a term which shows a total misunderstanding of Toscanini's achievements.

Giuseppe Bertolucci was born on 24 February 1947 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was a writer and director, known for Berlinguer: I Love You (1977), Segreti segreti (1985) and The Sweet Sounds of Life (1999). He was married to Lucilla Albano. He died on 16 June 2012 in Diso, Puglia, Italy.

Alberto Bevilacqua was born on 27 June 1934 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was a writer and director, known for This Kind of Love (1972), Attenti al buffone (1975) and Lady Caliph (1970). He died on 9 September 2013 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Beatrice Schiros was born on 14 September 1967 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She is an actress, known for Like Crazy (2016), Monterossi - La serie (2022) and Tre di troppo (2023).

Tamara Baroni was born on 3 January 1947 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She was an actress, known for Schwarzer Nerz auf zarter Haut (1970), Champagner für Zimmer 17 (1969) and Vacanze sulla Costa Smeralda (1968). She died on 28 December 2022.

Enrico Medioli was born on 17 March 1925 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was a writer, known for The Leopard (1963), Rocco and His Brothers (1960) and The Damned (1969). He died on 21 April 2017 in Orvieto, Umbria, Italy.

Carlo Lucarelli was born on 26 October 1960 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He is a writer and director, known for L'isola dell'angelo caduto (2012), The Red Door (2017) and Albakiara (2008).

Victor Poletti was born on 23 January 1949 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was an actor, known for The Ship Sails On (1983), Meeting Venus (1991) and The Taming of the Scoundrel (1980). He died on 24 February 2018 in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

Born in Parma, she is a lyric soprano graduated from the Conservatory of her city beginning to work in the field of opera, but in 1934 the director Max Ophuls makes to cast for the film "La signora di tutti", along with Isa Miranda. It will be the first of a long list of films that engage until the mid-50s. In the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in 1945 is Micaela in "Carmen" replication with Galliano Masini and Sofia in direct "Werther" shooting by Oliviero De Fabritiis with Tito Schipa, Saturno Meletti and Titta Ruffo. After the war also plays some direct film-opera by Carmine Gallone, a specialist in this kind of films, and Mario Costa and Piero Ballerini. She will work in some operettas, even abandoning television for the early activities of the '60s. She was married to director Marco Elter.

Giovanni Bertolucci was born on 24 June 1940 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was a producer and production manager, known for The Conformist (1970), Dove siete? Io sono qui (1993) and The Perfume of the Lady in Black (1974). He was married to Lilletta Bertolucci. He died on 17 February 2005 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

After graduating from the Academy of Dramatic Arts in Milan (Accademia dei Filodrammatici) in the early 1950s, and a few experiences directing plays and operas, Mario Lanfranchi was hired at RAI, at the onset of Italian television. He was therefore a pioneer of Italia television and the first one to bring opera to the small screen, in 1956, with "Madama Butterfly", which did rise Anna Moffo to the rank of diva in the brief space of one night. He was meanwhile very active in the theater as a director and producer. In the early Sixties Mario left the Italian Television (coming back occasionally for some inaugurations, like Rai-TV Channel 2, Eurovision, the new Naples studios) and returned to the stage, directing and producing several works by English and American playwrights, premiering a number of plays and musicals. He wrote and produced "Festa Italiana", a colossal show with 120 performers, which broke box-office records at the Madison Square Garden of New York. At that same time, Mario began his career as a film director with the western Death Sentence (1968), followed by several other movies of different genres. In 1980 he moved to London, where he lived for 25 years, staging big musicals like "Lust" and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" or plays like David Beaird's "900 Oneonta" at London's Old Vic and Daphne du Maurier's "September Tide" with Susannah York, which ran for years in the West End and Broadway. In 2005 Mario moved back to Italy, where he lived in a 16th century villa near Parma. He still enjoyed staging plays and giving recitals in the little theatre of the villa, periodically opening the doors to anybody.

Gloria Bellicchi was born on 2 February 1979 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She is an actress, known for Yara (2021), R.I.S. - Delitti imperfetti (2005) and Inspector Coliandro (2003). She was previously married to Andrea Prosperi.

Manuela Mezzadri was born and raised in Parma, Italy. She started her modeling career at the age of 16 and moved to Milan soon after. She modeled for world renowned designers and has traveled the world for photo shoots, print ads, catalogs, and TV commercials.

She made her acting debut in 2000 landing a starring role in the Italian TV series "Estreme." Some other credits include "Le ragazze di Miss Italia" with Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion Award winner, director Dino Risi and "The story of Adam & Eve" (winner of the Alternative Film Festival 2002) with emerging Italian director Alessandro Aronadio. She soon moved to the United States and proudly became an American in April of 2005.

Manuela is a member of a company specializing hyper realistic pre-deployment training for our military men and women. The program helps improving and refining military and law enforcement skills for current operations, including duties in Afghanistan and Iraq. She very much enjoys working with the dedicated men and women of our armed forces.

She is weapon trained, loves horseback riding and played volleyball in the second division of the Italian league. Manuela is a versatile actress. She speaks English and Spanish in addition to her native Italian.

Carlotta Barilli was born on 2 September 1935 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She was an actress, known for 1900 (1976), Howlers of the Dock (1960) and The Grim Reaper (1962). She died on 15 July 2020 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Romano Ghini was born on 2 July 1934 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He was an actor, known for Il trionfo di Maciste (1961), Return to Me (2000) and D'Artagnan contro i 3 moschettieri (1963). He died on 25 October 2020 in Rome, Italy.

Giovanna Cigoli was born on 24 February 1886 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. She was an actress, known for Sangue sul sagrato (1950), The Children Are Watching Us (1943) and Südliche Nächte (1953). She died on 14 September 1961 in Rome, Lazio, Italy.

Alex Belli was born on 22 December 1982 in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. He is an actor and producer, known for The Broken Key (2017), Mostro - Finché morte non ci separi (2023) and Dagli Occhi dell'Amore (2019). He was previously married to Katarina Raniakova.