real editor best profile tools real editor best profile tools
How I made my profile:
I used Dave & Jay's amazing myspace profile editor .
THE MAN
Salvatore Giuliano was an outstanding figure in post-war Italy. Between 1943 and 1950, from the small town of Montelepre, near Palermo, his name quickly reached every corner of the country. His controversial story impressed and also divided millions of people, and is strongly connected to the important events of recent Sicilian history: the end of the war, the quick rise and even quicker decline of the separatist movement and the growing political power of the Mafia.
He was twenty-one when he killed a carabiniere and therefore sought refuge in the mountains, thus starting his "career", first as a bandit, then as an icon of the separatist movement, then as a hero and an international celebrity. Reporters arrived in Sicily from all over the world, and Giuliano even had a love affair with a young Swedish journalist. Although the most important - and helpful - woman in his life was his brave sister Mariannina, who kept on defending him throughout her whole life.
But the twilight came sooner than he expected: with the notorious Portella delle Ginestre massacre he became a traitor to his own peasant class supporters, and soon he turned into the victim of a plot between the Mafia, local politicians and the Italian state.
His death is still wrapped in mystery, and only a part of the story has been made public. What we know is, that his trusted lieutenant and best friend Gaspare Pisciotta shot him. Later a macabre staging of his death was arranged, to show to the world that Giuliano had been killed by military.
The story of Giuliano inspired the movies Salvatore Giuliano (1960) directed by Francesco Rosi, Morte di un bandito (1961), directed by Giuseppe Amato, and The Sicilian (1987), with Christopher Lambert as Giuliano and John Turturro as Pisciotta. The film was directed by Michael Cimino.
More news is available on the website www.salvatoregiuliano.it or www.mediterrarea.com
THE STORY
After a Soliloquy which Mariannina addresses to an unseen corpse of her brother, the Overture begins.
ACT ONE
September 1943. While in Palermo the separatist leader Finocchiaro Aprile speaks proudly to thousands of Sicilian people (La storia è amica), in the country a young man from Montelepre, Salvatore Giuliano is caught by a small patrol of carabinieri when he is trying to smuggle two sacks of wheat to feed his family. He attempts to escape, pulls out a pistol and kills one of the soldiers. He seeks refuge in the mountains, while the news sweeps through Montelepre (Giuliano ferito / Bar del paese).
Supported by his sister (Notti infinite) Giulaino swears revenge when his father is taken to prison instead of himself (Vendetta / Evasione), he frees his father and also takes some prisoners with him.
From their two distant lairs, Salvatore and Mariannina express their feelings about this sudden turn of events (Angelo mio).
In the mountains, he reveals to his best friend and lieutenant Gaspare Pisciotta a strange dream of death that he had, and when his comrades sight a carabinieri vehicle they run away.
New Year's Eve 1945: Giuliano and his band burst into a party in a countess' villa to get jewels and gold. (Festa di Capodanno / Rapina) The robbery stops when Giuliano recognizes Mafia boss Don Calogero Vizzini. The guests are left with astonished, especially the ladies, who seem to like the charming bandit (Che beltà ).
At a secret meeting of the separatists Vizzini proposes to form a voluntary army led by Giuliano (Casa Tasca). Although Finocchiaro Aprile refuses, they send Nitto Minasola, a man connected to the Mafia, to inform the bandit and to offer him the rank of colonel (Giuliano Colonnello). Giuliano accepts, convinced that this will end his status of bandit and will turn him into a hero (Tornerà ).
Vizzini persuades Mariannina to stand as a separatist candidate in the forthcoming regional elections. For her this is a turning of the tide, and she embraces the cause, although she has regrets (Passaru i sogni).
In the streets of Montelepre the people are ready to join the E.V.I.S., the voluntary separatist army (Popolo). Among them, a boy called Michele reaches Giuliano to report a message and joins the band, while in Palermo Mariannina addresses a powerful electoral speech to the masses calling for freedom (Comizio Mariannina / Ora di libertà ).
ACT TWO
Giuliano has become a star, loved by women, photographed and interviewed by international journalists (Giuliano è una star). Amongst them, the young Maria Cyliakus from Sweden ventures on a perilous journey alone through the mountains to meet him. Giuliano is stunned by this beautiful Scandinavian and falls in love with her, although she has to leave soon (Duetto Giuliano e Cyliakus).
Despite Mariannina' s efforts the separatists lose the regional elections. The dreams shatter. The E.V.I.S. is disbanded, turning Salvatore into a bandit once again. Vizzini looks now for more powerful political alliances and in his plans Giuliano can be still useful against the rising Communist Party (Casa Vizzini).
On Labour Day (May 1st 1947), at a Communist meeting at Portella delle Ginestre, Giuliano and his band shoot at dozens of innocent and disarmed people (Portella delle Ginestre).
It is a slaughter and Michele, full of rage and despair (Lamento di Michele) calls Giuliano a villanous traitor, leaving with a troubled spirit.
But the Portella massacre provokes a backlash against banditry (Repressione), and hundreds of people from Montelepre are arrested.
The hatred towards Giuliano increases and for Mariannina this is a hard moment.
However, she is able to arrange a hideout for her brother in Castelvetrano, and they quickly meet each other before he leaves Montelepre forever. Something inside tells Mariannina she has seen him for the last time, and she vows to devote her whole life her brother (Davanti ai passi tuoi).
In the meantime the carabinieri welcome Colonel Luca, just arrived in Montelepre to put an end to the Giuliano affair. Minasola offers to help him but is made prisoner by Giuliano who also threatens him severely.
However, Minasola convinces Pisciotta that Luca will give him his freedom if he helps him to catch Giuliano. Pisciotta lets Minasola go, and joins Giuliano in Castelvetrano.
The bandit feels the end is near (Unni mi votu), and, after a night of despair, is killed treacherously by his best friend and lieutenant.
The corpse is carried outside the house, where a macabre staging of his death is arranged, to show the world that Giuliano has been killed by the military (Finale).
