Romina Arena

Romina Ciulla Arena is an Italian singer-songwriter who performs operatic pop (popera), pop classical crossover, rock opera and new-age music.

Early life
Romina Ciulla Arena was born and raised in Palermo, Sicily, to a Sicilian mother, Rita and a Roman father, Renato. By the age of four, Arena became a Mouseketeer for Topolino, the Italian version of Disney's Mickey Mouse Club. Performing with other children from different parts of Europe, Arena calls herself "the voice of women with a broken heart" but is also referred to as "the voice of women who never give up".

Career
In 2001, Arena covered the classic Japanese song, "Subaru", originally written and recorded by Shinji Tanimura. In 2003, Microsoft used her first rock opera single "Satellite (Italian version)", recorded in both English and Italian and composed by Romina Arena and David Polish, in the video game Project Gotham Racing 2. In 2013 she covered "I Want Love" (originally from Silent Hill 3, composed by Akira Yamaoka) in the cover album "The Best Of Silent Hill (Music From The Video Game Series)" by Edgar Rothermich released in 2013 on Perseverance Records.

In 2012, she released the album Morricone.Uncovered in which she covers film music by Ennio Morricone to which she had set her own lyrics.

In an article written by journalist Roberto Pugliese, "Arena uses her exquisite operatic (diaphragm and chest) but is sufficiently flexible to expand in Pop and Classical genre (for these singers, the neologism "popera" was coined). “What is striking in the color of Arena’s voice is that even in the high register and sovracuto - a rare use of falsetto - still maintains a serious center of gravity, dark, full-bodied that accentuates her dramatic vocal delivery. In addition to phrasing, incredibly sharp, marked and a mastery of the breath which results also in the expressive essential resource."

In 2015, Arena signed to Lakeshore Records for a studio album to coincide with her book Where Did They Film That Italy. The album, titled Where Did They Film That Italy – The Music Journey, was released in June 2016 as a companion to the travel guide.

Her song "Every Day Is Christmas Day" appeared in the movie A Christmas To Remember.

She was one of the special guests in Jim Wilson and Friends: A Place in my Heart live at the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts in Amarillo, Texas.

Romina Ciulla Arena has starred and produced ABC Holiday Movie Skating Spectacular, hosted by Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano, and World Champion Kimmie Meissner alongside a cast of various Olympic figure skating stars performing on ice to holiday music performed live by Romina and special guests, The Four Phantoms.

Discography

 * 1984 to 1993 – From the age of 4 to 13 years old Arena was signed to Disney Italy's Mickey Mouse Club and the companies "Prima Ribalta", "Shasa Digital Sound" and released three compilations and singles – Italy
 * 1994 "Una Vita Senza Vita" from San Remo Nuovi Talenti (New Talent) Festival Compilation – Italy (appeared as Romina Notarbartolo)
 * 1994 "You're The Only One" Peter Ciani Music – Australia (Single)
 * 1994: "Smile" released by Danilo Sulis Recordings – Sicily, Italy (Single)
 * 1994 "As Beautiful as You" CP Productions/BMG – Germany
 * 1995 "As Beautiful as You" CP Productions/BMG – Australia
 * 1998: "Fateci Santi" for The Vatican & Pope John Paul the second, produced & released by Beppe CAntarelli – compilation album
 * 2000 "Unreleased Album Project" produced by Bob Johnston – US
 * 2001 "Subaru" Design House/Toshiba-EMI – Japan
 * 2003 "Romina Arena" for Miller's Gin – Miller Spirits – US & UK (Premium)
 * 2003 "Satellite" Soundtrack from Xbox Video Game Project Gotham Racing 2, Microsoft Game Studios – US/Italy/International
 * 2004 "Romina Arena" American Entertainment Records– US
 * 2006 You're Gonna Hear from Me Outback Records – US
 * 2006 "Cuerpo Sin Alma" (Spanish) Outback Records – US
 * 2008 "Believe" NMG Records (Single)
 * 2009 "A Joyful Christmas" NMG Records
 * 2010 "Romanza" (The Love Collection, Limited Edition) – NMG Records
 * 2010 "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" NMG/Macs Records – Italy/US
 * 2011 "A Mother's Prayer" NMG Records (Single)
 * 2011 "Arthur's Theme" (The Best That You Can Do) NMG Records (Single)
 * 2011 "Life" released September 6, 2011 – NMG Records
 * 2012 "Morricone.Uncovered" released September 18, 2012 Perseverance Records
 * 2012 "Un Sogno Che Sognai" "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables released December 4, 2012 Perseverance Records (Single)
 * 2013 "Romanza" (The Love Collection, Limited Edition) Re-release with new bonus tracks January 8, 2013 – NMG Records
 * 2013 "Subaru" "スバル" " Romina Sings Japanese" released January 8, 2013 – NMG Records
 * 2013 "I Want Love" from the album "The Best of Silent Hill" released October 29 – Perseverance Records
 * 2014 "Corazon Italiano" released June, NMG Records (Single)
 * 2014 "Annie's Song" released November 4, PoperaStar Records (Single)
 * 2015 "A Mother's Heart" April 28, PoperaStar Records
 * 2016 "Where Did They Film That Italy – The Music Journey" based on the book from the same title – Lakeshore Records released June 24
 * 2019 "Baby Mine" performed in tribute to Disney's Dumbo – Poperastar Records (Single)
 * 2019 "A Beautiful Surprise" released November 9, 2019 – Poperastar Records (Album)
 * 2020 "Holding You" English version, released February 6, 2020 – Poperastar Records (Single)
 * 2020 "Verte Amor" Spanish version, released February 6, 2020 – Poperastar Records (Single)
 * 2021 "Cinematica: Vol. 1" English-Italian-Spanish tribute to the greatest movie soundtracks of all time – Poperastar Records (Album)

Books

 * Where Did They Film That Italy (travel guide). Fresno: Linden/ Quill Driver Books, 2016. ISBN 9781610351829,

Awards
In 2010, Arena received several awards. She was one of the seven recipients of the Tricolor Globe Award from the organization Italian Women in the World, one of the five recipients of the CSNA Award (Confederation of the Sicilians in North America) for promoting Sicilian culture worldwide,

In 2012, Arena was one of the 20 recipients of the Premio Sicilla for being an "Ambassador of bel canto in the world".

In 2020, Romina Arena received the prestigious “Filming Italy Los Angeles" Spotlight Award presented by Variety Magazine and Filming Italy LA for achievement in the music industry and cinema soundtrack, in collaboration with the Italian Institute of Culture and the Italian Embassy of Los Angeles

In 2021, Romina Arena was named the "Official Ambassador of Italian Excellence In The World" by the President of M.I.R.E. (Movement of Italians Residents Abroad) representing Italy and major Italian cultural events, awards, consumer experiences around the world

In 2022, the Italian President and Onorevoli at the Camera Dei Deputati awarded Romina the "Patrimonio Italiano" as Italian Ambassador of Italian culture at the Italian Parliament in Rome.

Articles and Interviews

 * Inspiring Interview at ForbesBooks Podcast with Build-A-Bear CEO, Sharon Price John
 * L’ Artista ROMINA ARENA in CalabriaEstate 2023

Charity work
Arena never has worked with the non-profit organization Every Woman.