With a new geographically-specific title and a summer release just announced, Woody Allen's latest Euro-flavored venture, "To Rome With Love," is just around the corner. Looking to replicate the success of "Midnight In Paris," a career-best box office hit that won Allen his first writing Oscar since 1987 for "Hannah And Her Sisters," details of his latest film are being kept under wraps. Luckily, we now have a better look at what's to come as a host of photos from the project have been unveiled.
While there's no sign of young stars Greta Gerwig or Ellen Page amongst the pics, there's certainly no lack of star-power with our first glimpses at Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Alison Pill, Judy Davis and even Allen in his first acting role since 2006's "Scoop." The images also feature Allen's army of lesser-known Italian stars including Monica Nappo, Flavio Parenti, Alessandra Mastronardi, Antonio Albanese, Alessandro Tiberi and Fabio Armiliato. It remains to be seen how all the actors and their characters fit into the story, though it was previously rumored that the film will consist of four unconnected vignettes — two of which involve American characters in the city, the other two involving Italian cast members possibly speaking Italian.
Harking back to "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," details of the film's soundtrack have evidenced a focus on local sounds with a lot of orchestral tracks and several notable tracks from Mario Costa's 1948 film "Pagliacci," which itself was based on Ruggerio Leoncacvallo's opera of the same name. Could that be some sort clue into what the film is about? Either way, here's the soundtrack listing:
1. “Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)” — Composed by Domenico Modugno & Francesco Migliacci, Performed by Domenico Modugno & His San Remo Orchestra
2. “Amada Mia, Amore Mio” — Composed by Bruno Pallesi, Celso Valli & Paolo Zavallone, Performed by The Starlite Orchestra
3. “Arrivederci Roma” — Composed by Pietro Garinei, Sandro Giovanni & Renato Ranucci, Performed by Alfredo Messina Performed by Steven Bernstein’s Neapolitan Orchestra
4. “Ciribiribin” — Composed by Alberto Pestalozza, Performed by Angelo DiPippo, David Finck & Jay Berliner
5. “E lucevan le stelle” from “Tosca” — Composed by Giacomo Puccini, Performed by Fabio Armiliato
6. “Nessun dorma” from “Turandot” — Composed by Giacomo Puccini, Performed by Fabio Armiliato, Accompanied on the piano by Sergio La Stella
7. “Mio Dolce Sogno” — Composed by Giovanni Vicari Performed by Butch Baldassari & Jeff Taylor
8. “Non dimenticar le mie parole” — Composed by Giovanni D’Anzi & Alfredo Bracchi, Performed by Emilio Livi & Trio Lescano
9. “Libiamo ne’lieti calici (Drinking Song)” from “La Traviata” — Composed by Giuseppe Verdi, Performed by Angelo DiPippo, David Finck & Jay Berliner
10. “Amor ti vieta” from “Fedora” — Composed by Umberto Giordano, Performed by Fabio Armiliato Accompanied on piano by Sergio La Stella
11. “Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)” — Composed by Domenico Modugno & Francesco Migliacci, Performed, Arranged & Conducted by Angelo DiPippo
12. “Studio 99” — Composed by Adam Hamilton
13. “Three Times Bossa” — Composed by Alessandro Trebo & Andrea Benini, Performed by Mop Mop
14. “When Your Lover Has Gone” — Composed by Aaron Einar Swan, Performed by Eddie Condon & His Orchestra
15. Excerpts from “Son qua, son qua” from “Pagliacci” — Composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Performed by Fabio Armiliato, Chorus & Orchestra Conducted by Carmine Pinto
16. Excerpts from “Vesti la giubba” — from “Pagliacci” Composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Performed by Fabio Armiliato & Orchestra, Conducted by Carmine Pinto
17. Excerpts from“Duetto e Finale” from “Pagliacci” — Composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo, Performed by Fabio Armiliato & Rita Cammarano, Matteo Bonotto, Antonio Taschini, Vinicio Cesare, Chorus & Orchestra Conducted by Carmine Pinto
18. “Nel blu dipinto di blu (Volare)” — Composed by Domenico Modugno & Francesco Migliacci, Arranged by Steven Bernstein
The film has been handed a June 22nd summer release through Sony Pictures Classic, but will hit Italian theaters much earlier on April 20th. [Cinerepublic/Collider]