Ruggero Cappuccio, Naples, 1964. In February 2011, Ruggero Cappuccio made his debut at Rome's Teatro dell'Opera as the director of L'elisir d'amore, music by Gaetano Donizetti and libretto by Felice Romano. The orchestra was conducted by Bruno Campanella. In May 2011, he directed La battaglia di Legnano, once again produced by Rome's Teatro dell'Opera, music by Giuseppe Verdi, libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, orchestra conducted by Pinchas Steinberg. In 2010, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino festival saw the staging of the opera Natura Viva, libretto and direction by Ruggero Cappuccio, music by Marco Betta, lead actor Chiara Muti, and Cappuccio also premiered his new play Don Chisciotte, with Roberto Herlitzka and Lello Arena, at the Asti Teatro Festival. In 2009, Le Ultime Sette Parole di Caravaggio, written and directed by Ruggero Cappuccio, with Claudio Di Palma, Lello Arena and a supporting cast of seven actresses, made its national debut at the Napoli Teatro Festival Italia. In the same year, Ruggero wrote and directed the film Rien Va, with Roberto Herlitzka, Chiara Muti and Lello Arena. In 2008, Ruggero Cappuccio was appointed artistic director in Salerno of the 'FormArt Lavoro' project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Policy. He was a finalist in the Strega Prize for his novel, La notte dei due silenzi, published by Sellerio Editore. In May 2007, he produced the opera Il ritorno di Don Calandrino, conducted by Riccardo Muti, which was premiered at the Salzburg Festival. Having directed Nina pazza per amore in 1999, he went on to direct Falstaff in 2001, which was conducted by Riccardo Muti and staged at La Scala in Milan. In September 2007, his 'film for the theatre' Shakespea Re di Napoli, won the IMAIE Prize. Also in 2007, Cappuccio's works were published by Einaudi Editore. In 2008, he directed the new stage version of Desideri Mortali, with Chiara Muti, which made its Italian debut at Palermo's Teatro Massimo di Palermo, as well as the new version of Shakespea Re di Napoli, with Lello Arena and Claudio Di Palma, for which he oversaw the filming. In the same year, the version of Oedipus at Colonus that he wrote and directed, and which starred Roberto Herlitzka, won the Olimpici del Teatro Prize. In 2005, his Paolo Borsellino Essendo Stato, featuring Massimo De Francovich, was showered with awards, including the Olimpici del Teatro, Borgio Verezzi and UBU prizes. In 1998, his Il Sorriso di San Giovanni scooped the UBU Prize for Best New Italian Play. In 1993, his Delirio Marginale received the Idi Prize. In 1994, Shakespea Re di Napoli won the Special Prize for European Drama. He also premiered Desideri Mortali, a profane oratorio for Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa (1996) and Tieste e Bacchidi (1997). During this period, he contributed to the culture pages of Il Mattino. From 2003 to 2006, he served as artistic director of the Benevento Citta Spettacolo Festival. From 2005 to 2006, he was artistic director of the Techne Project, which offers guidance and training for those in the entertainment industry and is supported by the Italian Ministry of Labour. In 2004, he directed and wrote the screenplay for the film Il Sorriso dell'Ultima Notte, made by Halcyon Productions S.R.L, which was given an Opera Prima award by the Italian Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment. In March 2003, he directed and wrote the screenplay for Lighea, by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, with Roberto Herlitzka and Claudio Di Palma, which was produced by Rai 2/Rai Sat International. In 1999, he directed and wrote the screenplay for a short film entitled Niente di Straordinario, directed by Enzo Porcelli and produced by Alia Film.