Romina Arena
Romina Arena | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | May 12, 1980 |
Origin | Palermo, Sicily |
Genres | Pop classical crossover, operatic pop |
Occupation(s) | Singer, composer, actress, writer, music producer, music supervisor, dancer, screenwriter, author, voiceover and film producer |
Years active | 1984–present |
Labels | Design House/Toshiba-EMI, CP Productions/BMG, PC Music, Outback Records, NMG Records, Perseverance Records |
Associated acts | Ennio Morricone, Marcello Giordani, Rick Allison, Andrea Bocelli, Shinji Tanimura, Alessandro Safina, Al Martino, Brian Wilson, Il Divo, Jim Wilson, Eric Rigler and many others |
Website |
www |
Romina Arena (born May 12, 1980) is an Italian-American popera, operatic pop, pop classical crossover, rock Opera, and New Age singer-songwriter.
Biography
Romina Arena grew up in Palermo, Sicily and now lives in Los Angeles. She is the first known tenorette (female tenor) in the world to sing in a five octave range full register.[1][2] She has collectively sold over four million records worldwide.[3][4] By the age of four, Arena became an Italian Mouseketeer for the Italian version of Disney's Topolino.[5] She also performed as a classical ballerina in the major Italian Theatres at the age of seven. Her knowledge of 10 languages, including Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Japanese, Greek, Bulgarian and Hebrew allowed her to open many doors to the international music market. When she was young, Arena was attacked at the backstage of a prime time television show in Sicily and her attacker severed her vocal cords with a pocket knife, leaving her comatose. Her physicians told her she would never sing again. However, she completely recovered over a three-year period. She fully regained her vocal abilities; a strange side effect of the attack was that she developed an extraordinary five-octave vocal range as a result of the trauma to her pharynx.[6]
An Academy Award-winning film producer is developing her life story into a major motion picture. Her book will also soon be available in stores. Arena is also a sought after inspirational and motivational speaker, a screenwriter, a philanthropist and humanitarian. Arena has received the Gold Orb Medal, presented to her by the Olympic Games of the Arts where she was equally awarded along with Hollywood legend Jane Russell, as well as Linda Gray, from Dallas. She has performed for Bo Derek, Paris Hilton, Fergie, Josh Duhamel, Betty White, Al Pacino, Oliver Stone, John Gray, Jack Canfield, Cheryl Ladd, U.S. President Bill Clinton, Pope John Paul II and many other popular figures. Arena was awarded with the Global Citizenship Award by the United Nations, in collaboration with Orphans International, The New York Times and Prince Albert of Monaco for her humanitarian support to the children of Haiti. She has appeared as the leading singer special guest on her first PBS TV special in the U.S., along with acclaimed pianist Jim Wilson. Arena is the recipient of the 2010 Tricolor Globe Award, the equivalent to the American Oscar in Italy, for best female Italian artist in the world and as a humanitarian.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In September 2010, Arena performed for over 300 million viewers on European Television Rai 1, Rai Italia, Rai Radio 1. Canale 5, a popular Italian network owned by Silvio Berlusconi, is preparing a TV special on her life and career with major Italian journalist Alberto D'Amico.
Arena is the recipient of the 2010 CSNA Award (Confederation of the Sicilians in North America), as the most successful Sicilian-Italian female Artist and Humanitarian in North America. She was awarded equally with Italian major actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta. The two stars have received also the famed 2010 PREMIO SICILIA, where Romina was awarded as the best selling recording artist in the world from Sicily.[14]
Past musical works
Arena is one of the first female pioneers of Popera/Operatic pop/Pop Classical Crossover, considered by the media as the "Queen of Popera".[15][16] She wrote lyrics and sang Adagio in G minor with the original Tomaso Albinoni's arrangement at the famous Sidney Opera House concert in 1994. In 2001, she covered the famous Japanese classic song "Subaru" originally written and recorded by Japanese star Shinji Tanimura and went to number No. 1 on the charts. Arena has become the trusted authority in the field of Popera and classical crossover.[17] She is developing several TV series and film projects she has written, pitched optioned and sold to major studios and networks in Hollywood. Over the years Arena has worked with a variety of major Grammy winning music producers including Bob Johnston, Chuck Howard, Christopher Page, Jamie Nakamura, Kevin Savigar, Peter Ciani, Mitchell Sigman from Berlin, Rudolf Schenker from Scorpions (band) and Beppe Cantarelli. She has collaborated and written songs with Freddy Curci, Lara Cody, Christopher Page, Kevin Savigar, Stacy Wiedleitz, Jamie Nakamura, Ennio Morricone, Rick Allison, Giovanni Lodigiani, Tom DeLuca, Jim Wilson, Bob Dellaposta, Luca Angelosanti, Francesco Morettini, and Beppe Cantarelli. She has also recorded under the names Romy Karen & Romina Notabartolo. In 2003, Arena contributed her first Rock Opera single "Satellite" (Recorded in English and Italian) as the theme song for Project Gotham Racing 2[18] a popular video game developed by Microsoft
Recent musical works
Arena is noted for a unique style of operatic pop, rock and classical crossover. As a singer/songwriter Arena's use of the new genre of music that mixes the older classical symphonies with the new fast beats, brings an outstanding combination of style and success to her career.[19] Oscar winning film composer Ennio Morricone has been Arena's mentor since she was twelve years old. In 2012, she became the first female Italian artist and songwriter to add Italian lyrics to Morricone's famous Once Upon A Time in America movie theme. The same year Morricone collaborated with Arena supporting her on the making of a new CD which includes a collection of all of his greatest movie scores reinterpreted by Arena's own voice and lyrics. The album is titled Morricone.Uncovered and was released on September 18, 2012, by Perseverance Records[20] In 2011 and 2012, Arena has written and produced songs for UK's Pop Classical Crossover soprano and finalist from Britain's Got Talent Hollie Steel and Opera/Pop Classical Crossover Tenor Marcello Giordani Arena is currently writing music for feature film soundtracks and national TV shows.
Live touring
Arena has performed and/or worked with Andrea Bocelli, Alessandro Safina, Lou Rawls, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Al Martino, Gladys Knight, The Platters, Eliot Sloan from Blessid Union of Souls, Eric Rigler pipes player from the famous music soundtracks of the movies Braveheart and Titanic 1997 film, and headlined on the Celine Dion stage[21] The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. She has performed several countries worldwide including Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, England, Portugal, Gibraltar, Casablanca, Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Thailand, New Zealand and Fiji.
She performed many cities in the United States including Boston (Massachusetts), Chicago (Illinois), Cleveland (Ohio), Youngstown (Ohio), Canton (Ohio), Akron (Ohio), Columbus (Ohio), Cincinnati (Ohio), Traverse City (Michigan), New York City, Orlando (Florida), Ft. Lauderdale, (Florida), Miami, (Florida), San Antonio, (Texas), Riverside, California, Los Angeles (California), Amarillo, Texas, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Boise, Idaho, Denver, Colorado, Las Vegas (Nevada), Reno, Nevada, Washington (D.C.), and Vancouver (Canada).
She has performed in the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City in Rome, Italy, the White House in Washington, DC, Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, The Bellagio and Paris in Las Vegas, Italian Embassy, Washington, D.C. and the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.
Discography
- 1984 to 1993 – From the age of 4 to 13 years old Arena was signed to Disney Italy's Mickey Mouse club and the companies "Prima Ribalta", "Shasa Digital Sound" and released three compilations and singles – Italy
- 1994 "Una Vita Senza Vita" from San Remo Nuovi Talenti (New Talent) Festival Compilation – Italy
- 1994 "You're The Only One" Peter Ciani Music – Australia (Single)
- 1994 "As Beautiful as You" CP Productions/BMG – Germany
- 1995 "As Beautiful as You" CP Productions/BMG – Australia
- 2000 "Unreleased Album Project" produced by Bob Johnston – US
- 2001 "Subaru" Design House/Toshiba-EMI – Japan
- 2003 "Romina Arena" for Miller's Gin – Miller Spirits – US & UK (Premium)
- 2003 "Satellite" Soundtrack from Xbox Video Game Project Gotham Racing 2, Microsoft Game Studios – US/Italy/International
- 2004 "Romina Arena" American Entertainment Records– US
- 2006 You're Gonna Hear from Me Outback Records – US
- 2006 "Cuerpo Sin Alma" (Spanish) Outback Records – US
- 2008 "Believe" NMG Records (Single)
- 2009 "A Joyful Christmas" NMG Records
- 2010 "Romanza" (The Love Collection, Limited Edition) – NMG Records
- 2010 "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" NMG/Macs Records – Italy/US
- 2011 "A Mother's Prayer" NMG Records (Single)
- 2011 "Arthur's Theme" (The Best That You Can Do) NMG Records (Single)
- 2011 "Life" released September 6, 2011 – NMG Records
- 2012 "Morricone.Uncovered" released September 18, 2012 Perseverance Records
- 2012 "Un Sogno Che Sognai" I Dreamed a Dream from Les Misérables released December 4, 2012 Perseverance Records (Single)
- 2013 "Romanza" (The Love Collection, Limited Edition) Re-release with new bonus tracks January 8, 2013 – NMG Records
- 2013 "Subaru" “スバル" ” Romina Sings Japanese" released January 8, 2013 – NMG Records
- 2013 "I Want Love" from the album "The Best of Silent Hill" released October 29 – Perseverance Records
- 2014 "Corazon Italiano" released June, NMG Records (Single)
- 2014 "Annie’s Song" released November 4, PoperaStar Records (Single)
- 2015 “A Mother’s Heart” April 28, PoperaStar Records
- 2016 "A Cinematic Music Journey" based on the book from the same title "Where Did They Film That? Italy" – to be released
- 2016 "I Knew The Score" to be released – Perseverance Records
- 2017 "Premonition" to be released
Author of books
In 2012, Arena signed a multiple book deal with Linden Publishing/ Quill Driver Books.[22] Her first book "Where Did They Film That? Italy"[23] will be released in 13 languages worldwide 2016.
- 2016 "Where Did They Film That? Italy – Linden/ Quill Driver Books – Travel Book
- 2016 "Romina – Baby Bug Bambina" – Linden/ Quill Driver Books – Children's Book
Charity work
Arena has helped many major non-profit organizations over the past four years to raise over a million dollars from such organizations, including the American Red Cross[24] The Yellow Ribbon Group,[25] The Arts Olympus.[26] and Every Woman,[27]
References
- ↑ Times of Sicily
- ↑ Slant Magazine
- ↑ Screen Archives Entertainment
- ↑ Radio Vaticana
- ↑ Miracle Feast: Concert
- ↑ The Malibu Times
- ↑ Seven 'Oscars' in pink In Bologna Prize to excellence female
- ↑ GLOBE TRICOLORE. Premio All'Eccellenza Italiana Nel Mondo Italia – Brasile Italian Excellence Award In The World Italy-Brazil
- ↑ TRICOLORE THE GLOBE TO ITALIAN EXCELLENCE IN THE WORLD. THE COUNT DOWN TO BOLOGNA
- ↑ BOLOGNA – Globo Tricolore Italian Excellence Award in the World
- ↑ La Gazzetta del Sud Africa
- ↑ Italians abroad, "Italian women in the world" presents in Bologna the prize for excellence italiana nel mondo
- ↑ GLOBE TRICOLORE, Fair Success For Italian Excellence In The World. Prima Parte. Part One
- ↑ The history of the Targa Florio in Miami Awarded five Sicilian-Americans
- ↑ The ArbiterOnline
- ↑ Alo Magazine
- ↑ The Las Vegas Sun
- ↑ Project Gotham Racing 2
- ↑ Alo Magazine
- ↑ Slant Magazine
- ↑ Live at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas
- ↑ "Romina Arena-Exclusively Represented by AEI". AEI speakers. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
- ↑ Where Did They Film That? Italy – Amazon
- ↑ Romina Arena @ the Santa Monica Red Cross Red Tie Affair
- ↑ Romina Arena performs @ the Yellow Ribbon Group
- ↑ Romina Arena performs on the Queen Mary
- ↑ Romina Arena Keynote performer @ Every Woman