Beni Montresor

Beni Montresor (31 March 1926 – 11 October 2001) was a versatile Italian artist, opera and film director, set designer, author and children's book illustrator. He won the 1965 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing May I Bring a Friend?.[1] The Italian government knighted him in 1966 for his contributions to the arts.

Beni Montresor, Photographed by Carl Van Vechten, 1964.
Montresor in 1981

Career

Montresor was particularly known in the United States as a designer of sets, lighting and costumes for opera. He designed sets and costumes for the 1964 American premiere of Gian Carlo Menotti's opera The Last Savage at the Metropolitan Opera. He also designed the evocative and ephemeral scenery and lighting for the Washington Opera/New York City Opera revival of the Montemezzi opera The Love of Three Kings in 1981.[2] He was the Artistic Director of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma in 1988–1989.[3] He directed two films, Pilgrimage (1972), starring Cliff De Young and La Messe dorée (1975), starring Lucia Bose.[4] He was also a stage and film set designer with commissions from La Scala, Spoleto, the Glyndebourne Festival, the New York City Opera and the Metropolitan Opera for productions like La Gioconda, Esclarmonde, The Last Savage, The Daughter of the Regiment, L'Elisir d'Amore (Metropolitan Opera), Aida and The Magic Flute (New York City Opera). Montresor worked with film directors Federico Fellini, Vittorio De Sica and Roberto Rossellini among others.[2]

Between 1964 and 1986, Montresor also designed for a Broadway play revival (Marco Millions) and two new musicals (Do I Hear a Waltz? and Rags).[5]

Personal life

Montresor had a longer term affair with the writer Anne Cumming in the 1950s whilst she was married and also had many other gay and straight affairs.[6]

Beni Montresor died in Verona on 11 October 2001 at the age of 75;[7][8] the cause of his death was reportedly pancreatic cancer.[7]

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beni Montresor.
  1. "Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938–Present". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  2. Honan, William H. (13 October 2001). "Beni Montresor, Artist in 2 Worlds, Dies at 78". New York Times. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  3. Fratello, Giovanni (11 April 2008). "Lo sguardo di Beni Montresor" (in Italian). L'Unità. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  4. "Dal Colore alla Luce:Beni Montresor. Un protagonista del teatro internazionale" (in Italian). Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  5. Beni Montresor. Internet Broadway Database, ibdb.com, https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/beni-montresor-25145. Accessed 20 September 2021.
  6. "Felicity Mason/Anne Cumming – A Brief Biography and Interview – Jennie Skerl". European Beat Studies Network. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2017.
  7. Honan, William H. (13 October 2001). "Beni Montresor, Artist in 2 Worlds, Dies at 78". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 October 2021. Correction: Oct. 15, 2001 -- An obituary on Saturday about Beni Montresor, illustrator of children's books and designer of opera sets and costumes, misstated his age. He was 75, not 78.
  8. Lane, John Francis (4 December 2001). "Obituary: Beni Montresor". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
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