Franco Mannino

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Franco Mannino (24 April 1924, Palermo - 1st February 2005, Rome) was mostly known as an Italian film composer. However he was also a pianist (making his debut at the age of 16), conductor (of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada between 1982 and 1986, among many others), opera director at many of Europe's well known opera houses, playwright and novelist.

In all he wrote more than 440 compositions including opera, ballet, oratory symphonies, chamber music and music for the theatre. In addition there was his music for more than a hundred films by some of the best-known directors of his day, including Luchino Visconti with whom he collaborated many times, including such films as Death in Venice.

His 1963 opera Il diavolo in giardino, from a libretto by Visconti (and collaborators) based on a Thomas Mann short story, was presented at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo in February. Another of his works, which Visconti directed, was the ballet Mario e il Mago in 1956.