When Francesca Alfano became the first woman to stand up for herself in defense of her acting career, she forever changed the face of acting. As a character artist and vocalist for many Italian bands before they broke in the USA, she made a name for herself as an uncompromising vocalist and a bold personality who never took herself too seriously. Today, as an established character actor, Francesca is most well known for her supporting roles in movies such as “The Sopranos”, “Mafia Wars” and “Law and Order: Special Edition”. Now as a solo artist, Francesca has released an interesting album entitled Nelle: Biography & Autobiography.
Nelle chronicles Francesca’s life up to the present day, focusing on her various nationalities and her professional career. Although Francesca has always portrayed herself as an individual with no preconceived notions of being or doing specific things, the album brings her to a new perspective. It shows that although she has always been aware of her unique identity, her profession, her heritage, and the many other aspects of her life, she has also always tried to respect the differences that bind her to all of those people. Her dedication to her family, to her lover and to her fellow Sicilians are shown through her personal writing. This is another reason why Francesca is an admired and beloved personality in the Sicilian community, not just because of her admirable physical attributes or her talent as a singer and actress, but because of the depth of her understanding and compassion for her own people.
The poems within Nelle: Biography & Autobiography explore the facets of Francesca’s personality that helped her maintain a sense of individuality and unique qualities while making a strong and powerful international connection. Francesca Alfano was born to parents from Palermo and expelled from Palermo’s Academy at the age of 16. She moved to Genoa, Italy in order to study acting, and then Paris, France, where she was cast as the lead character in the popular play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Although this early experience helped her develop her authentic inner strength, it also made it difficult for her to look beyond her nationality and culture to other nations and cultures.