Autograph letter from the Italian composer to La Scala manager Francesco Siciliani. October 6, 1965; 2 pp. on a letterhead card of the Bari conservatory. Translated from the Italian: "Dearest Maestro Francesco, I know that you will be on the committee for the opera competition which will take place in Reggio Emilia (country of my grandfather...) from October 3 to 9. I would like to recommend the young tenor Angelo Degli Innocenti from Bari, who seems to me to be of the highest quality. [...] He is a young man of great merit from all standpoints [...]." 6.5 x 4.25 inches (17 x 10.8 cm). Hole punches and some toning; overall fine.

Nino Rota was a composer, pianist, conductor and academic best known for his film scores, notably for the films of Federico Fellini and Luchino Visconti. He also composed the music for two of Franco Zeffirelli's Shakespeare films, and for the first two films of Francis Ford Coppola's Godfather trilogy, receiving the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Godfather Part II.