A beautiful balance of Italian classic romantic tracks to operatic tracks by Fabio Armiliato, Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” is complimentary to his latest film but also to hopeless romantics who are passionate for Italian music.
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TITLE: To Rome with Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
LABEL: Sony Classical
DURATION: 48:59
RELEASE DATE: June 19, 2012
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)Â Â Â 1 of 18Â Â Â 3:37Â Â Â Domenico Modugno
Amada Mia, Amore Mio   2 of 18   3:22   Starlight Orchestra
Arrivederci Roma   3 of 18   1:03   Alfredo Messina
Ciribiribin   4 of 18   2:18   Angelo DiPippo
E Lucevan Le Stelle [From “Tosca”]Â Â Â 5 of 18Â Â Â 1:42Â Â Â Fabio Armiliato
Nessun Dorma [From “Turandot”]Â Â Â 6 of 18Â Â Â 2:30Â Â Â Fabio Armiliato
Mio Dolce Sogno   7 of 18   3:30   Butch Baldassari;Jeff Taylor;Jack Jezzro
Non Dimenticar Le Mie Parole   8 of 18   3:13   Emilio Livi;Trio Lescano
Libiamo Ne’lieti Calici [From “La Traviata”]Â Â Â 9 of 18Â Â Â 1:57Â Â Â Angelo DiPippo
Amor Ti Vieta [From “Fedora”]Â Â Â 10 of 18Â Â Â 1:50Â Â Â Fabio Armiliato
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)Â Â Â 11 of 18Â Â Â 2:48Â Â Â Angelo DiPippo
Studio 99Â Â Â 12 of 18Â Â Â 3:01Â Â Â Adam Hamilton
Three Times Bossa   13 of 18   3:24   Mop Mop
When Your Lover Has Gone   14 of 18   3:27   Eddie Condon & His Orchestra
Son Qua, Son Qua [From Pagliacci]Â Â Â 15 of 18Â Â Â 2:38Â Â Â Fabio Armiliato, Chorus & Orchestra
Vesti La Giubba [From “Pagliacci”]Â Â Â 16 of 18Â Â Â 3:47Â Â Â Fabio Armiliato & Orchestra
Duetto E Finale [From “Pagliacci”]Â Â Â 17 of 18Â Â Â 2:34Â Â Â Fabio Armiliato & Orchestra
Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)Â Â Â 18 of 18Â Â Â 2:28Â Â Â Steven Bernstein’s Neapolitan Orchestra
For Woody Allen fans, one of the biggest treats when watching his films are the soundtracks.
While many films are jazz inspired and features Woody Allen and his band performing the songs, in the last ten years, we have seen Woody Allen taking his film outside of the U.S. with his last films “Midnight in Paris” being shot in France, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” in Spain and several films shot in Britain.
But this time, Allen received the opportunity from distributors from Rome to shoot a film in Rome and for the director who admired foreign films and had wanted to become a “foreign film director”, what a great experience would it be for Allen.
A film with four stories, about a worker who gains fame, an architect who returns to the place he grew up, a young couple on their honeymoon and a funeral director who loves to sing in the shower, “To Rome with Love” stars Woody Allen, Antonio Albanese, Fabio Armiliato, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Alec Baldwin, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page and many more.
The music for the soundtrack definitely has the Italian feel of utilizing opera, popular 50’s Italian music and also a bit of modern music as well.
The soundtrack kicks off with the popular Domenico Modugno 1958 hit song “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” which sets up the romantic mood for the film.
But the next song was an interesting transition as it goes to a remake of Paolo Zavallone (aka El Pasador) and a remake of his 1978 hit “Amada Mia, Amore Mio” redone by The Starlite Orchestra. While the song incorporates the disco style of music that I grew up listening to as a child (which brought back memories of listening to disco versions of Beethoven and Mozart), the song is quite fun with the deep male vocal singing “Amada Mia, Amore Mio”.
The soundtrack then transitions back to two romantic Italian instrumentals. “Arrivederci Roma” by Alredo Messina and “Ciribiribin” by Angelo DiPippo. And you also get a few more instrumentals including DiPippo’s jazz version of “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)” and “Libiamo ne’lieti Calici (from “La Traviata”). Also, a bossna nova instrumental by Mop Mop titled “Three Times Bossa” and ending with Steven Bernstein’s Neapolitan Orchestra’s version of “Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)”. And also the inclusion of the the somewhat out of place, synth pop instrumental “Studio 99” by Adam Hamilton.
As as the film is romantic to its core with instrumentals as part of one half of the soundtrack, you also get the gifted funeral director in the shower, played by  “the best Chénier of our time”, Fabio Armiliato. A good number of opera tracks such as “E Lucevan Le Stelle [From “Tosca”]”, “Nessun Dorma [From “Turandot”]” and opera tracks from “Fedora” and “Pagliacci” to round out the soundtrack.
You do get a little of the Woody Allen style of music that fans are familiar with the inclusion of “When Your Lover Has Gone” by American Eddie Condon & His Orchestra and the track “When Your Lover Has Gone”. You also get the ’40s “Non Dimenticar Le Mie Parole” by Emilio Livi and the Trio Lescano.
Overall, a beautiful balance of Italian classic romantic tracks to operatic tracks by Fabio Armiliato, Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” is complimentary to his latest film but also to hopeless romantics who are passionate for Italian music.
If you enjoyed the film and are passionate for different genres of Italian music, especially classic tracks to opera, definitely give “To Rome with Love: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” a chance!
