By Zhani Ciko
Memorie.al I remember a conversation some time ago, at least four or five years ago, which actually closed the cycle of a relationship with Morricone, on personal lines. I don’t want to start with conclusions about what happened, in two or three pictures of a fiction, (since we are in the world of the seventh art, anyway).
Back in the mid-1990s, in RTS, where I was focused on expanding the role of radio and television music activities, as a “full-fledged” director of the department and at the same time artistic director of the concert seasons of the Symphony Orchestra, I was fully committed to collaborating with artists. from the outside, because I thought of this as the best way to integrate our musical culture. I used every possible contact to make up for the delay created by the years of isolation.
In one of the conversations with my collaborating friend, conductor Vittorio Parisi, I learned that he was fully committed to conducting a Symphonic Concerto, with works by composer Ennio Morricone, at the Rome Auditorium, which had just been inaugurated, perhaps not yet complete. Little did I know about Morricone’s “classical music.” We knew the music for the movie “Sacco e Vanzetti”, which was enjoyed by our small screen, or the first Italian wester “For a bag of gold”, or any other.
“No,” said Paris, “one day when I asked Ennion about his relationship with these different genres and his preference, he told me that initially I wanted to be involved in big music and when my friend Sergio Leone introduced me to the world. Hollywood, I said to myself: I’m making a living with film music and then I’m getting back to serious! But that did not happen. I am equally in love with both. I have less and less time for my first love. ”
-Look at Vittorio, ‘I’ll take the opportunity and propose, if he wants to invite him to a Concert in Tirana at our Palace of Congresses, where he and he have come now, even if he directs it himself’, I tried to throw the hook Ennios i.
Something was coming up. He was excited by our sincerity and the kind description of the maestro Paris, for Tirana, the friendly and a little noisy musicians of our orchestra and especially since in Tirana you don’t need an interpreter, anywhere.
As I said, when things go our way, something happens that “someone makes us up.” We had gotten back to ’97!
We came to the new millennium. Times were working again for us. I had exceeded the first opinion, only for the “Tirana-Classic” Concert of Maestro Morricones. I had heard something about the financial problems of Italian musicians, the crisis with Rai orchestras, etc.
Here is the finding: I suggest you come and record the music in the ART, in the big studio of the Orchestra, moreover that the digital recordings, which we had not started yet, for the orchestras were out of fashion, while in our country they were like before 15 years, analogous. So we were “still in fashion.”
The proposal was not received without interest. Studio photos were taken and above all a favorable and comprehensive work plan.
When in the conversation with the producer of Maestro, from the accent of the latter I noticed that she had to be Romanian, I quickly passed the conversation in this language, as I accidentally proposed to them that their costs to us would be lower than in every other possible place, the charming gentle blonde, but also beaten by the eastern experiences of her country and beyond, promised: Then I will come to Tirana. She didn’t say when, but I realized she already knew everything about us. Ermir Krantja, who would come to us in those days for a concert, was aware, known, cooperated and lobbied for us.
The sympathetic blonde came, delighted by the reception, the humor, the restaurant and our ardent desire, to realize the production of Morricone’s film music, for the biggest film houses in the world. What a major accomplishment. What a triumph over the closed past and especially about the strategy of many artists who wanted with fire in the soul, who live and produce their art at home, but spread it on the big and small screens of the world. Wasn’t the ART orchestra created for this? In fact, we maintained its destination, but the size was no longer local, but international.
But the institution had its own progress. Time had brought new developments. Non-public media were emerging, with great desire. Inside, fierce debates erupted between the structures. Someone left, others decided. We stood on the stage or the microphone, or “held on tight.” Accurate production questions, “Morricone”, were delayed.
When the manager was informed about the real realization of the contract, etc., he understood our administrative and legal difficulties, as well as his own problems that he did not reveal to us. Between the smile and the hesitation he left. He recognized us, appreciated our commitment, and felt sorry for us.
For the project “Production of Morricone movie music”, there remained unlimited memory and respect for the greatest master of the cinematic and unwavering world, for Albanian musical talents. Another place of the Balkan brothers, had acaparized the producer, who did not resist our time of extended realizations.
Meanwhile, I myself left for ten years at the National Opera and Ballet Theater. I had performed ten years of intense activity on the RTS, inside and outside, some of our symphonic productions in several countries, as well as recording a rare opera that would be published soon. Our song had taken wings in several international events and also one step separated it from the biggest European competitions. We needed a lot of musicians and a good part of the management staff, who supported us.
The second table of fiction
The years passed in a dizzying decade. News of Maestro’s health, major Oscar awards, and other onorings came through friends. Although elsewhere I kept in touch with some of the international friends of the ART. Someone ignited some institutional jealousy, not benevolence. Normal and so on.
When I was released from institutional commitments and went on to “free creativity,” he shot me in Rome, inviting me to the home of junior Morricone, maestro Andrea Morricone, Ennio’s eldest son, and heir to the family music tradition. I quickly came to the first climate 15 years ago, not knowing the reason for the invitation. The atmosphere is well known to me. Older connections are always updated quickly.
Through the dialogue, I realized that it was the desire to recreate once again the early project of the missing productions and concert at the Palace of Congresses. Oh, if only you could finally get Maestro ‘Oscar’ to trample the tyrannical land and the green carpet, even though it is already obsolete of the Palace of Congresses ?!
As always, there is not enough time. I thought about the connection of the concert with the International Film Festival in Durrës, which was realized by the journalist and host of cultural shows in ART. I immediately talked to Anila, (Varfi) who immediately understood the significance of the project’s realization. The coordinator in Rome, Ester Gjika, the legal daughter of the unforgettable director, Viktor Gjika, installed the direct line with us. Meetings, plans, hopes, not just for once, but for continuity… ?!
Still insufficient Albanian time!
Our institutions in a stalemate. The process was not completed where it could be, and no one was in charge yet. Even the International Film Festival itself did not take place. We had a coffee with Anila, we expressed our friendship and we didn’t see each other again.
Pandemic time
Everyone suffers for the future. There are also those who follow the daily routine. They take a picture of themselves laughing and announce the whole world.
The Oscar-sharing of Art is more bitter than the animation is orienting and protective. Will others be found in time and the situation will surely get in the way… ?!/Memorie.al
