''Casta Diva'' is a 1935 Italian musical

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

and starring Mártha Eggerth, Lamberto Picasso and

Gualtiero Tumiati Gualtiero Tumiati ( 8 May 1876 – 23 April 1971) was an Italian actor and stage director. Life and career Born in Ferrara, Tumiati studied at the College of the Oaks in Florence and there he attended the acting courses held by Luigi Rasi. He ...

. The film won Best Italian Film at the 1935 Venice International Film Festival. An English-language version '' The Divine Spark'' was made at the same time, also directed by Gallone and starring Eggerth. Gallone remade the film in 1954 in Technicolor. The film's sets were designed by the art directors

Werner Schlichting Werner Schlichting (1904–1996) was a German art director who worked on over a hundred films during a lengthy career. He worked on a number of Austrian films including '' The Congress Dances'' and '' The Last Ten Days'' (1955).Fritsche p.253 Sel ...

and Enrico Verdozzi.

Location shooting Location shooting is the shooting of a film or television production in a real-world setting rather than a sound stage or backlot. The location may be interior or exterior. The filming location may be the same in which the story is set (for ex ...

took place around Catania in

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

. In Bellini's opera, ''Norma'', the soprano's plea to the moon goddess in Act I begins ''Casta diva'', and the aria is well known by that name.

Plot

The film concerns Italian composer

Vincenzo Bellini Vincenzo Salvatore Carmelo Francesco Bellini (; 3 November 1801 – 23 September 1835) was a Sicilian opera composer, who was known for his long-flowing melodic lines for which he was named "the Swan of Catania". Many years later, in 1898, Gius ...

and his problems with his opera ''

Norma Norma may refer to: * Norma (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Astronomy *Norma (constellation) *555 Norma, a minor asteroid * Cygnus Arm or Norma Arm, a spiral arm in the Milky Way galaxy Geography *Norma, Lazi ...

'' (1831), which itself tells the passionate love story of a Gallican priestess of the local Celtic religion and a Roman

proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military command, or ...

(governor of a province). The film is unique because it uses abstract paintings-in-motion to express the passion between the two main characters.

Cast

* Mártha Eggerth as Maddelena Fumarol * Sandro Palmieri as

Niccolò Paganini Niccolò (or Nicolò) Paganini (; 27 October 178227 May 1840) was an Italian violinist and composer. He was the most celebrated violin virtuoso of his time, and left his mark as one of the pillars of modern violin technique. His 24 Caprices fo ...

* Lamberto Picasso as Fumaroli * Achille Majeroni as

Gioacchino Rossini Gioachino Antonio Rossini (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who gained fame for his 39 operas, although he also wrote many songs, some chamber music and piano pieces, and some sacred music. He set new standards ...

Lina Marengo Lina Marengo (19 January 1911 – 6 February 1987) was an Italian character actress. She played in over 30 films, and was most active between 1938 and 1943. Biography Marengo was born in Rome and her film debut was in '' Casta Diva'' (1935), di ...

as a guest *

Giulio Donadio Giulio Donadio (5 July 1889 – 15 June 1951) was an Italian actor and film director. Donadio appeared in over forty films between 1912 and 1947, including the historical melodrama ''Red Passport'' (1935).Landy p.155 He also directed several films ...

as Felice Romani *

Ennio Cerlesi Ennio Cerlesi (21 January 1901 – 20 September 1951) was an Italian film actor. He played the title role in the 1937 film '' Doctor Antonio''.Goble p.401 Cerlesi was also a leading voice actor, dubbing international films for release in Italy. H ...

as Ernesto Tosi *

Vasco Creti Vasco Creti (7 December 1874 – 16 October 1945) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1915 and 1944. He was married to actress Valeria Creti. Selected filmography * '' Maschiaccio'' (1917) * '' Il siluram ...

as Rettore del Conservatorio * Bruna Dragoni as Giuditta Pasta *

Maurizio D'Ancora Rodolfo Gucci (16 July 1912 – 15 May 1983), also known by his stage name Maurizio D'Ancora, was an Italian actor and entrepreneur, who appeared in more than 40 films between 1929 and 1946. He was a member of the Gucci family. His only child, M ...

as Saverio Mercadante *

Cesare Bettarini Cesare Bettarini (17 October 1901 – 19 October 1975) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in a number of productions during the Fascist era, including the 1935 drama '' Like the Leaves'' (1935).Caldiron p.46 Selected filmography * '' The Wed ...

as Francesco Fiorino *

Alfredo Robert Alfredo Robert (1877–1964) was an Italian actor and film director.Waldman p.160 Selected filmography * ''Il sire di Vincigliata'' (1913) * '' The Doctor's Secret'' (1931) * ''Paradise'' (1932) * '' Doctor Antonio'' (1937) * '' Pietro Micca'' (1 ...

Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand I (12 January 1751 – 4 January 1825) was the King of the Two Sicilies from 1816, after his restoration following victory in the Napoleonic Wars. Before that he had been, since 1759, Ferdinand IV of the Kingdom of Naples and Ferdinand I ...

Gino Viotti Gino Viotti (1875–1951) was an Italian film actor who appeared in more than forty films, mostly in supporting roles. He played the part of Chilone Chilonides in the 1924 epic '' Quo Vadis''.Wyke p.214 Selected filmography * ''Nemesis'' (1920) ...

as Maestro Zingarelli

References

External links

1935 films 1930s musical drama films 1930s biographical drama films Italian musical drama films Italian biographical drama films 1930s Italian-language films Films directed by Carmine Gallone Italian multilingual films Films set in 1831 Films about composers Films about classical music and musicians Films about opera Italian black-and-white films Cultural depictions of Niccolò Paganini Italian historical musical films 1930s historical musical films Cultural depictions of classical musicians Cultural depictions of Italian men Films shot in Italy 1935 multilingual films 1935 drama films 1930s Italian films {{historic-musical-film-stub