*This post was great fun to write last year on the day of the Academy Awards, and is applicable today. Hence, an Operatoonity Encore Post.
Here are some of the Oscar-winning movies I’ve seen (and some of my favorite also-rans) with the classical music they incorporated into their soundtracks. Maybe that’s why Oscar adores opera.
1997: Life Is Beautiful – Best Actor (Robert Benigni) – “Barcarolle” from Les Contes d’Hoffmann – Offenbach (This is one of my all-time favorite movies, so it gets the first YouTube clip.
1993: Philadelphia – Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Hanks), and Best Music, Song (Bruce Springsteen for “Streets of Philadelphia“) – “La Mamma Morta” from Andrea Chénier – Giordano
1987: Moonstruck – Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress (Cher), and Best Supporting Actress – La Bohème – Puccini
1987: The Untouchables – Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Sean Connery, always have to give a nod to Sean Connery, wherever and however possible) – “Vesti la giubba” from Paliacci – Leoncavallo; also featured in a Seinfeld episode.
1987: Wall Street – Best Actor (Michael Douglas) – “Questa O Quella” from Rigoletto – Verdi
1984 Amadeus – Eight Oscars, most notably Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (F. Murray Abraham), Best Director (Miloš Forman), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Peter Shaffer) – Don Giovanni and “Sull’ Aria” from The Marriage of Figaro – by whom else by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
1980 Raging Bull – Best Actor (De Niro) and Best Editing (Schoonmaker) – “Cavalleria rusticana” – Mascagni
1979 Apocalypse Now – Best Cinematography and Best Sound – “Ride of the Valkyries” from Die Walkure – Wagner
Three of my favorite also nominated-but-didn’t-win movies with opera. (Hey! It’s my blog!)
1994: The Shawshank Redemption – “Sull’ Aria” from The Marriage of Figaro – Mozart. Here is the scene where Andy plays the aria for inmates (It is one of my favorite scenes ever–thank you, Mozart):
1987: Fatal Attraction – “Un Bel di Vedremo” from Madama Butterfly – Puccini
1990: Pretty Woman – Best Actress (Julia Roberts) La Traviata – Verdi