Nino Rota (1911-1979) was an Italian composer, pianist and conductor whose output spanned more than 150 film scores alongside four symphonies, twelve operas and a substantial body of chamber music. Born in Milan into a musical family, he was a child prodigy whose first oratorio was performed in Milan and Paris when he was just eleven; he later studied at the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia under Fritz Reiner. His 28-year partnership with Federico Fellini - covering every Fellini film from The White Sheik (1952) to Orchestra Rehearsal (1978) - and his Academy Award-winning score for The Godfather Part II (1974) made him one of the defining voices of 20th-century cinema.
The Barcelona Symphonic Band performed a concert dedicated to Nino Rota and John Williams on April 12, 2026, featuring suites from The Godfather Saga, 8½ and La Strada.
A sold-out tribute concert 'Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota Part II' was held at the Sava Centre in Belgrade on October 2, 2025, following two sell-out editions the previous year.
Washington D.C.'s PostClassical Ensemble performed 'Beyond The Godfather: The Concert Music of Nino Rota' at the Kennedy Center on March 18, 2025, spotlighting his lesser-known orchestral works alongside the famous film scores.
A symphonic tribute concert pairing Nino Rota with Ennio Morricone was announced for January 23, 2027 at La Seine Musicale in Paris.
