Famed for his inspired work with director Federico Fellini, Nino Rota was one of the most prolific and acclaimed film composers of his era, with a list of soundtrack credits ranging from La Dolce Vita to Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet to Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather. For 1974's The Godfather Part II [MOVATM036], Rota won an Academy Award.

Launched to international prominence through his work with Federico Fellini, Rota also began composing material for other major filmmakers including Luchino Visconti, whose soundtrack to Il Gattopardo (1963) got the Nino Rota treatment to good effect.