The Italian production of Rent was acclaimed yesterday best musical in the 1999-2000 season during the Italian Musical Theatre Award ceremony which was held at Trieste's Teatro Miela. Rent also won prizes in the best actress category (Francesca Taverni who played the role of Maureen) and best director category (Fabrizio Angelini - who directed the Italian mounting under the supervision of Michael Greif). A special prize was given to Luciano Pavarotti's fiancee, Nicoletta Mantovani, for the production of the Italian edition of Jonathan Larson's hit musical.

Three awards went to Hello, Dolly! (Best set design to Aldo De Lorenzo, best costumes to Zaira De Vincentiis and best choreography to Fabrizio Angelini), while Carl Anderson won the best actor category for his role of Judas in the Italian production of Jesus Christ Superstar directed by Massimo Romeo Piparo.

The Italian Musical Theatre Award was founded in 1998 by Turin's Amici del Musical, an association of fans of the musical theatre, and was inspired by New York's Tony Award, London's Olivier and Germany's Image. Each year the members of the association prepare a list of eligible shows; a board of journalists and experts of the musical theatre chooses the winners among the nominated shows or artists in each category.

Musicals in Italy are a recent phenomenon, and are enjoying a growing popularity between audiences nationwide. In the last few months many opera houses announced future projects in the field of musical theatre: Milan's Teatro La Scala announced the first Italian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera; Palermo's Teatro Massimo will produce Kurt Weill's Lady in the Dark and Turin's opera house will product Kiss me Kate.

For further information regarding the Italian Musical Theatre Award visit the the Amici del Musical website. Here is a list of all the nominations and winners (winners in bold): BEST MUSICAL:
Rent (Duke International)
A qualcuno piace caldo - Some Like It Hot (Compagnia della Rancia)
Hello, Dolly! (Musical Italia)
Jesus Christ Superstar (Planet Musical)
My Fair Lady (Planet Musical)

BEST ACTRESS:
Francesca Taverni (Rent)
Ilaria Amaldi (A qualcuno piace caldo - Some Like It Hot)
Rossana Casale (A qualcuno piace caldo - Some Like It Hot)
Loretta Goggi (Hello Dolly)
Karima Machehour (Rent)

BEST ACTOR:
Carl Anderson (Jesus Christ Superstar 2000)
Michele Carfora (Rent)
Gabriele Foschi (Rent)
Manuel Frattini (Tributo a Gershwin - An American in Paris)
Laronte (Rent)

BEST DIRECTOR:
Fabrizio Angelini under the supervision of Michael Greif (Rent)
Pietro Garinei (e meno male che c'è Maria)
Saverio Marconi (Hello, Dolly!)
Franco Miseria (Tributo a Gershwin - An American in Paris)
Massimo R. Piparo (Jesus Christ Superstar 2000)

BEST SET DESIGN:
Aldo De Lorenzo (Hello, Dolly!)
Uberto Bertacca (e meno male che c'è Maria)
Paul Clay (Rent)
Giancarlo Muselli (Jesus Christ Superstar 2000)
Alessandra Panconi, Leonardo Conte (Tributo a Gershwin - An American in Paris)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Fabrizio Angelini (Hello, Dolly!)
Roberto Croce (Jesus Christ Superstar 2000)
Franco Miseria (Tributo a Gershwin - An American in Paris)
Gino Landi (e meno male che c'è Maria)
Alan Mingo, Marlies Yearby (Rent)

BEST COSTUMES:
Zaira de Vincentiis (Hello Dolly!)
Lisa Zinni, Angela Wendt (Rent)
Silvia Frattolillo (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Giuseppe Tramontano (Tributo a Gershwin - An American in Paris)
Angela Buscemi (My Fair Lady)

BEST FOREIGN TOUR:
Ain't Misbehavin'
Hair
Rocky Horror Show