HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico (translation: Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts) is a national drama school in Rome, Italy. Founded in 1936 by the theatrical theorist, critic, and writer
Silvio D'Amico Silvio D'Amico (3 February 1887 – 1 April 1955) was an Italian theatre critic, journalist, and theorist of Italian theatre. Not a Fascist himself, D'Amico was the major theatre critic during the ''ventennio'', i.e. the twenty years (1922–19 ...
, the academy is the only state school for the training of actors and directors. Funded jointly by the Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) and the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, the Academy grants academic degrees equivalent to Bachelor of Arts as well as master's degrees. Its value comes from being the only school in Italy to be recognized by the Prime Minister / Department of Performing Arts and the Ministry of University and Scientific and Technological Research.


History

In 1936, the academy replaced the former Director Acting school dedicated to
Eleonora Duse Eleonora Giulia Amalia Duse ( , ; 3 October 185821 April 1924), often known simply as Duse, was an Italian actress, rated by many as the greatest of her time. She performed in many countries, notably in the plays of Gabriele D'Annunzio and Henr ...
. D'Amico, a friend of Nobel prize winner
Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italians, Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his bold and ...
and French theatre director
Jacques Copeau Jacques Copeau (; 4 February 1879 – 20 October 1949) was a French Theatre, theatre director, producer, actor, and dramatist. Before he founded the Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier in Paris, he wrote theatre reviews for several Parisian journ ...
, was appointed Special Commissioner for the reform of the drama school and led the academy for many years. Since its early foundation, the Academy has distinguished itself as a national reference centre for traditional theatrical heritage, as well as through experimentation and research. With the advent of arts and music reform, the Academy became part of the sector-level Higher Education in Art and Music (AFAM), established by Law No. 508 of 21 December 1999.


Admission

Admission to the Academy is determined annually by a public competition announced by the Ministry of Education. The competition is open to Italians and foreigners who have successfully completed high school and are between the ages of 18 and 25 years. Those who are admitted into the academy must attend it in order to access not only to the teaching program, but also entertainment, experimentation, and seminars carried out before the term starts, from July to September.


Academic program

The academic year begins in November and ends in June. The coursework is intensive, requiring motivation and commitment. It includes lessons, exercises and testing, ten hours per day, six days a week. The two main courses, directing and acting, have common material such as the interpretation of dramatic text using theoretical, critical, technical and artistic material. The prestige of the Academy includes the participation of important figures in the dramatic arts, who contribute to the lesson program, or in seminars, special courses and meetings. This allows the students of theatre and film to make a comparison between the teaching and professional work. Academic activities are presented to the public with the production of approximately eight events per year, made with the students, supported by professionals and directed by renowned professionals, including technical staff such as set designers, costume designers, and lighting designers. The Academy provides training in dramatic theatre, the opera and the Italian cinema. The program is structured in three stages. After completing the three-year program, students are granted a diploma equivalent to a university degree. Those who complete the first three years and move on to the fourth may be granted a scholarship, the additional year being used for specialization training.


Special events

Some of the special events, such as the college summer theatre that began in 1983 in collaboration with the Fondazione Teatro di Pisa, have lasted over the years and are considered important points of reference. In recent years, the Academy has developed a strong policy of international relations, participating in many festivals and establishing relations and joint projects with other important European schools such as the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow, the
Guildhall School of Music and Drama The Guildhall School of Music and Drama is a music school, music and drama school located in the City of London, England. Established in 1880, the school offers undergraduate and postgraduate training in all aspects of classical music and jazz al ...
in London, the Institut del Teatre in Barcelona, the
Berlin University of the Arts The Universität der Künste Berlin (UdK; also known in English as the Berlin University of the Arts), situated in Berlin, Germany, is the second largest art school in Europe. It is a public art and design school, and one of the four research uni ...
, and the École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre (ENSATT) in Lyon. The Academy regularly performs on tour in Europe and other continents.


Notable alumni

Specializing in the field of drama, with particular attention to the drama of its national heritage, the Academy has played a key role in the Italian film and theater scene and is currently headed by M°Lorenzo Salveti. It has prepared artists such as Margherita Buy,
Vittorio Gassman Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important producti ...
, Luigi Lo Cascio,
Anna Magnani Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Academy Award-winning Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety Obituaries, Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of ...
,
Nino Manfredi Saturnino "Nino" Manfredi (22 March 1921 – 4 June 2004) was an Italian actor, voice actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, comedian, singer, author, radio personality and television presenter. He was one of the most prominent Italian ac ...
, and
Monica Vitti Maria Luisa Ceciarelli (3 November 1931 – 2 February 2022), known professionally as Monica Vitti, was an Italian actress who starred in several award-winning films directed by Michelangelo Antonioni during the 1960s. She appeared with Marcel ...
. Other former alumni include Antoniano,
Manuela Arcuri Manuela Arcuri (born 8 January 1977) is an Italian actress and model. She's best known for starring in Canale 5 period drama series ''Il peccato e la vergogna'' (2008–2014). Biography Arcuri was born in Anagni, near Frosinone, to a father f ...
, Mino Bellei,
Carmelo Bene Carmelo Pompilio Realino Antonio Bene (1 September 1937 – 16 March 2002) was an Italian actor, poet, film director, and screenwriter. He was an important exponent of the Italian avant-garde theatre and cinema. In 1968, his movie Our Lady ...
, Dirk van den Berg, Giuliana Berlinguer, Alessio Boni,
Alberto Bonucci Alberto Bonucci (; 19 May 1918 – 5 April 1969) was an Italian film actor and director. He appeared in 53 films between 1950 and 1967. Partial filmography * ''Variety Lights'' (1950) - Night Club Comic * ''Fugitive in Trieste'' (1951) * ''Tot ...
, Giulio Bosetti, Renato De Carmine, Ennio Fantastichini,
Gabriele Ferzetti Gabriele Ferzetti (born Pasquale Ferzetti; 17 March 1925 – 2 December 2015) was an Italian actor with more than 160 credits across film, television, and stage. His career was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s. Ferzetti's first leading rol ...
(expelled),
Scilla Gabel Scilla Gabel (born Gianfranca Gabellini; 4 January 1938) is an Italian film, television, and stage actress. She appeared in 50 films and multiple television programs between 1954 and 1988. Career Born in Rimini as one of five children, Gabel en ...
, Domiziana Giordano, Miguel Angel Landa, Roberto Pacini,
Michele Placido Michele Placido (; born 19 May 1946) is an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. He began his career on stage, and first gained mainstream attention through a series of roles in films directed by the likes of Mario Monicelli and Marco Belloc ...
,
Luca Ronconi Luca Ronconi (8 March 1933 – 21 February 2015) was an Italian actor, theatre director, and opera director. Biography Ronconi was born in Sousse, Tunisia. After growing up in Tunisia, where his mother was a school teacher, Ronconi graduated ...
,
Gian Maria Volonté Gian Maria Volonté (9 April 1933 – 6 December 1994) was an Italian actor and activist. He is best known for his roles in four Spaghetti Western films: Ramón Rojo in Sergio Leone's ''A Fistful of Dollars'' (1964), El Indio in Leone's ''For a ...
and
Lina Wertmüller Arcangela Felice Assunta "Lina" Wertmüller (; 14 August 1928 – 9 December 2021) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. She is best known for her 1970s art film, art house films ''Seven Beauties'',' ''The Seduction of Mimi'', ''Lov ...
.


References

{{authority control Universities in Italy Drama schools in Italy Film schools in Italy Educational institutions established in 1936 1936 establishments in Italy