Attilio Colonello (9 November 1930 – 12 August 2021) was an Italian scenic designer and stage director who was active within the field of opera.

Biography

Born in Milan, Colonello studied architecture in Milan with Gio Ponti and Ernesto Rogers. He first drew critical praise for his designs for ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on ''La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his own 18 ...

'' at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 1956. This was followed by designs for Arrigo Boito's '' Mefistofele'' at

La Scala La Scala (, , ; abbreviation in Italian of the official name ) is a famous opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the ' (New Royal-Ducal Theatre alla Scala). The premiere performan ...

in 1958. He designed several more Milan productions, including '' Don Pasquale'' in 1965 and two productions for

Margherita Wallmann Margarete Wallmann or Wallman (aka Margarethe Wallmann, Margherita Wallman or Margarita Wallmann) (22 June or July 1901 or 1904 – 2 May 1992) was a ballerina, choreographer, stage designer, and opera director. Life and career Born probably ...

: the première of

Ildebrando Pizzetti Ildebrando Pizzetti (20 September 1880 – 13 February 1968) was an Italian composer of classical music, Musicology, musicologist, and Music criticism, music critic. Biography Pizzetti was born in Parma in 1880. He was part of the "Generation ...

’s ''

Clitennestra ''Clitennestra'', an opera in a prelude and two acts, was the last work by Ildebrando Pizzetti. The libretto is in Italian. The opera play is based on ancient Greek mythology written by Aeschylus and Sophocles. It was premiered at La Scala in Mil ...

'' in 1965 and another ''Don Pasquale'' in 1973. In 1962 Colonello made his United States debut at the Dallas Civic Opera with a critically acclaimed production of

Giuseppe Verdi Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian composer best known for his operas. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the h ...

's ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, on 5 February 1887. Th ...

''. He designed another production at that house following a year, Monteverdi's '' L'incoronazione di Poppea''. He worked for the Metropolitan Opera for the first time in 1964 when he designed a Jacobean '' Lucia di Lammermoor'' for Wallmann. He later designed two productions for

Nathaniel Merrill Nathaniel Merrill (February 8, 1927 – September 9, 2008) was a celebrated American stage director and opera director. He was the resident stage director at the Metropolitan Opera from 1956-1985. During his 28 seasons at the Met he staged a total ...

at the Met: a 19th-century '' Luisa Miller'' (1968) and a gloomy '' Il trovatore'' (1969). Since 1964 Colonello worked frequently as a scenic designer and director for the Teatro di San Carlo. His first production with the company was '' Roberto Devereux'', again with Wallmann as director. He then designed and directed productions of ''

Adriana Lecouvreur ''Adriana Lecouvreur'' () is an opera in four acts by Francesco Cilea to an Italian libretto by Arturo Colautti, based on the 1849 play ''Adrienne Lecouvreur'' by Eugène Scribe and Ernest Legouvé. It was first performed on 6 November 1902 at t ...

'' (1966), the première of

Jacopo Napoli Jacopo Napoli (August 26, 1911 in Naples – 1994 in Ascea) was an Italian composer of the 20th century. Born in Naples, he studied privately. He taught composition at the Cagliari Cagliari (, also , , ; sc, Casteddu ; lat, Caralis) ...

’s '' Barone avaro'', and '' Samson et Dalila'' (both 1970), ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the Carmen (novella), novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first perfo ...

'' (1975), ''

La Gioconda La Gioconda ( , ; "the joyful one" feminine_gender.html" ;"title="'feminine gender">f.'' may refer to: * ''Mona Lisa'' or ''La Gioconda'', a painting by Leonardo da Vinci * Lisa del Giocondo, the model depicted in da Vinci's painting * La Gioconda ...

'' (1977) and '' I puritani'' and '' Luisa Miller'' (both 1988). Colonello's best work has been with the

Arena di Verona Festival Arena di Verona Festival (Verona Arena Festival) is a summer festival of opera, located in the city of Verona Italy. Since 1936, it has been organized under the auspices of an official body, first the Ente Autonomo Spettacoli Lirici Arena di Verona ...

, beginning with a splendid '' Nabucco'' in 1962. In 1964 he designed and directed productions of '' Cavalleria rusticana'' and '' La bohème'' and designed a production of '' Mefistofele'' for director

Herbert Graf Herbert Graf (10 April 1903 – 5 April 1973) was an Austrian-American opera producer. Born in Vienna in 1903, he was the son of Max Graf (1873–1958), and Olga Hönig. His father was an Austrian author, critic, musicologist and member of Sig ...

. He then designed ''Carmen'' (1965), '' Rigoletto'' (1966), ''

La forza del destino ' (; ''The Power of Fate'', often translated ''The Force of Destiny'') is an Italian opera by Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was written by Francesco Maria Piave based on a Spanish drama, ' (1835), by Ángel de Saavedra, 3rd Duke of Rivas, wi ...

'' (1967) and ''

Andrea Chénier ''Andrea Chénier'' () is a verismo opera in four acts by Umberto Giordano, set to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica, and first performed on 28 March 1896 at La Scala, Milan. The story is based loosely on the life of the French poet Andr ...

'' (1967). For the festival's 100th anniversary he staged '' Aida'' (1968) and later returned for a lauded production of '' Un ballo in maschera'' (1972). In 1984 he returned to design and direct '' I Lombardi''.

Sources

*David J. Hough, "Attilio Colonello". The ''

New Grove Dictionary of Opera ''The New Grove Dictionary of Opera'' is an encyclopedia of opera, considered to be one of the best general reference sources on the subject. It is the largest work on opera in English, and in its printed form, amounts to 5,448 pages in four volu ...

'', edited by

Stanley Sadie Stanley John Sadie (; 30 October 1930 – 21 March 2005) was an influential and prolific British musicologist, music critic, and editor. He was editor of the sixth edition of the '' Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' (1980), which was publ ...

(1992), {{DEFAULTSORT:Colonello, Attilio 1930 births 2021 deaths Italian scenic designers Italian theatre directors Theatre people from Milan