News

2025

New film, for which I did the choreography, to be released in UK sometime in the year. More info SOON

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00 Apr: New event in Italy. More info SOON

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00 Mar: New event in Italy. More info SOON

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00 Jan: New event. More info SOON

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2024

17 Dec: “Franco Maresco: io e il jazz” una rassegna di 11 appuntamenti in cui il regista palermitano discute di jazz con un ospite diverso ogni settimana. Io, nel terzo episodio, parlero’ delle colonne sonore di Walt Disney e cantero’ accompagnato al pianoforte dal maestro Salvatore Bonafede. “Viva Paperino, abbasso Mary Poppins”. Real Teatro Santa Cecilia, Palermo, Italy. More info HERE

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07 Dec: The movie “Quir” screened at RIDF Rome International Documentary Festival. The director Nicola Bellucci, Gino Campanella, Massimo Milani and myself in attendance. More info HERE

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30 Nov: “Quir” is nominated for the Pride Award at the 2024 Florence Queer Festival in Firenze, Italy. I shall be in attendance with Massimo Milani, Vivian Bellina and director Nicola Bellucci. More info SOON

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29 Nov: After a seven-year absence, I make my big London come back, taking my one man show (with Ornella Cerniglia at the piano), “Ernesto Tomasini: Degenerata!”, to Crazy Coqs in Piccadilly Circus! The show is sold out. More info HERE

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16 Nov: “Quir” premieres in Germany at the 41st Kasseler Dokfest. Q&A with director Nicola Bellucci

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12 Oct: Aperitivo bastardo: a glass of wine with Ernesto Tomasini. As part of Festival Bastardo I shall meet the audience the day after my show to talk about it and my career in general. Teatro Montevergini, Palermo @ 18:30. More info HERE

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11 Oct: “La Signora Palermo ha due figlie” a new comedy with, by and directed by myself opens the 9th edition of the Teatro Bastardo Festival, in Palermo, Italy. With Caso X, Celeste Siciliano and Ryuki. Assistant director Sabrina Artelli. More info HERE

 

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14 Jul: I shall sing and introduce the film “Quir” at the 70th edition of the Taormina Film Festival. 16:30, Sala Congressi, Taormina Italy.

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14 Jul: “Quir”, a new film by Nicola Bellucci, a Swiss production in which I play one of the leads, has its world premiere at the Taormina Film Fest 2024. More info HERE

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05 Jun: Performance di restituzione con gli studenti della masterclass LIVE! a ingresso libero. Teatro Pirandello, Agrigento, 19:30

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03-05 Jun: Masterclass di 3 giorni al Teatro Pirandello di Agrigento per la serie LIVE! del CesDAS Fondazione Meno. More info SOON

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22 May: “Derek Jarman’s Blue Live” Cinema Massimo, Turin, Italy. More info HERE

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10 May: Presentato al Museo Salinas di Palermo il catalogo “Andrea Cusumano: Raumdramaturgie”, contenente immagini di opere dell’eclettico artista italo/austriaco. Fra queste delle fotografie pitturate che mi ritraggono (in quanto attore di una piece di Cusumano) che saranno in mostra al Nitsch Museum in Austria fino alla fine di maggio. More info HERE

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24 Apr: I will be on the outdoor set for my first photoshoot in quite a long time. I have missed this kind of work and am nothing short of elated to get back to it. More about the project SOON

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17 Apr: Clips from “Quir”, a motion picture in which I play one of the leads, are previewed at the Visions du Reel film festival in Switzerland. More info HERE

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13 Apr: Conversation with international students and Professor Alberto Milazzo on Queer Mary Poppins at IED (European Institute of Design), Milan, Italy.

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06 Apr: Illustrated and semi-performed lecture for Mary Poppins’ 60th (film) and 90th (book) anniversaries, in Palermo, Italy

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05 Apr: Guest on “Glitter People” radio show, Radio In (Italy)

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23 Feb: Interview on “Quelli del venerdi'”, Radio In (Italy)

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02 Feb: I was invited to give a lecture at the International Seminar on Contemporary Theatre Performance at Malayalan University, in Tirur, India.

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2023

05 Nov:

Ernesto Tomasini

“Degenerata!”

L’identita’ di genere nelle canzoni di cabaret (e non solo) dell’inizio del secolo scorso

con Ornella Cerniglia al pianoforte

Milano, Danae Festival, mosso, sala Blu, 20:30

More info HERE

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20-28 Oct: I make my proper opera debut (albeit in a comedic role. I sang in contemporary operas before but never in a classic such as this) in “La fille du regiment” by Gaetano Donizetti, at the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, Italy. More info  HERE

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22 Sep: An installation by Hector De Gregorio, containing one of my portraits by him, opens today at St John’s Church, in London’s Bethnal Green, for the Judgement Hall Festival. More info HERE

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26 Jul: “Lunaria”, a play with songs by Italian poet and writer Vincenzo Consolo, opens at the Teatro Biondo’s summer season in Villa Tasca, Palermo, Italy. More info HERE

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07 Jul: “Lunaria”, a play with songs by Italian poet and writer Vincenzo Consolo, premieres at the Orestiadi Festival in Gibellina, Italy. More info HERE

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24 Jun: “Lunaria”, a play with songs by Italian poet and writer Vincenzo Consolo, to preview in Naples, Italy, for the Campania Teatro Festival. More info HERE

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20 May: “Libera Me” the art film I made with my adored Carlos Alejandro Motta in 2016 is at the Bogota’ Modern Art Museum (MAMBO), in Colombia, as part of Carlos’ “Requiem”, curated by another darling: Eugenio Viola. On Instagram a clip from the video #mambogota More info HERE

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06 May: Lecture at IED in Milan. I was invited by the European Institute of Design in Milan, Italy,  to give a talk about personal brand, my life and career. More info HERE

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22 Mar: Lunga intervista di Eliana Escheri per il programma “Auditorium” di RAI Radio. Ascoltala nel podcast QUI.

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2022

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06 Dec: “Ciure'” a new Italian film in which I play a major role has its red carpet opening at the Rouge et Noir Cinema in Palermo. More info HERE

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04 Dec: Teatro Massimo, Palermo

CABARET !

Musiche di Mischa Spoliansky, Henry E. Pether, Henry Mancini, Friedrich Hollaender, James V. Monaco e Edgar Leslie, Ettore Petrolini, Jacques Brel, Jerome Kern, Leonid Desyatnikov. OMER MEIR WELLBER Pianoforte e accordion, HILA BAGGIO Soprano, ERNESTO TOMASINI Performer, Quartetto d’archi dell’Orchestra del Teatro Massimo

More info HERE

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31 Oct: Danae Festival Podcast interview in Milan, Italy.

Un progetto di Ivan Carozzi a cura di Radiovisione che farà parte del podcast Cosmo Domestico per l’edizione 2022 di Danae InOnda

More info HERE

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30 Sep: Gettoknowus, radio show condotto da In The Ghetto, Radio Banda Larga, Torino

Il podcast in italiano QUI

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06 Jun: Festival Toscanini in Parma and Reggio Emilia and Lucca, Italy.

Lunedì ore 21.00 Reggio Emilia | Reggiane Parco Innovazione

CABARET !

Musiche di Mischa Spoliansky, Henry E. Pether, Henry Mancini, Friedrich Hollaender, James V. Monaco e Edgar Leslie, Jacques Brel, Jerome Kern, Leonid Desyatnikov OMER MEIR WELLBER Pianoforte e accordion HILA BAGGIO Soprano ERNESTO TOMASINI Performer QUARTETTO D’ARCHI DELLA FILARMONICA ARTURO TOSCANINI MIHAELA COSTEA Violino VIKTORIA BORISSOVA Violino BEHRANG RASSEKHI Viola PIETRO NAPPI Violoncello

More info HERE and HERE

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01 Jun: In occasione della mia prossima apparizione al Festival Toscanini la T Magazine mi ha chiesto di scrivere un articoletto sul Cabaret per il loro numero speciale dedicato al festival.

Prendi una copia negli outlet selezionati o scarica il PDF QUI

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2021

18 Dec: A small portrait of myself is part of Andrea Cusumano’s “Nativity”, a work of art on display at the Rizzuto Gallery in Palermo, until Jan 6, 2022. More info HERE

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26 Nov: A picture of myself with my mother, that photographer Wolfgang Tillmans took in 2018, is part of his new exhibition at mumok, Vienna’s modern art museum, from 26 November 2021 to 24 April 22. More info HERE

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01 Aug: I just completed principal photography of a new Italian film called “Ciure'”, which will be released in Italian cinemas and then internationally sometime next year. More info HERE

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2020

31 Dec: I am in the cast of the Teatro Massimo Palermo New Year’s Concert. Live streaming.

Direttore Omer Meir Wellber
Soprano Carmen Giannattasio
Baritono Markus Werba

Con la partecipazione di Eli Danker e Ernesto Tomasini
Sound designer Manfredi Clemente

Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Massimo

Ideazione e coordinamento televisivo Gery Palazzotto
Regia televisiva Antonio Di Giovanni

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15 Sep: I have been asked to be part of the jury of the 2020 edition of the Sicilia Queer Film Festival. More info HERE

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05 Sep: Carlos Motta’s video installation “Libera Me” with myself singing Faure’ is at this year’s Berlin Biennale. More info HERE

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14 Feb: New limited edition cassette released today by Lacerba. “La Bellezza Eccetera. I sing on two tracks arranged by Klin + Myss Keta, Federico Fiumani, Little Annie + others. More info HERE

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2019

29 Jun: “Beautiful Rainbows: Judy and the others”. My third lecture for Palermo Pride, this one about gay icons to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Judy Garland’s death. Casa del Popolo, Palermo. More info HERE

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23 Jun: Opening of a photographic exhibition, at the Palermo town hall, by photographer Fabio Giannetto with new images depicting little old me, alongside other creatures of the night. More info HERE

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04 Jun: Sicilia Queer Filmfest, Palermo.  Goethe Institut. 18.30. I will be in conversation with the fabulous Mykki Blanco and will present him with the 2019 Nino Gennaro Award.

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04 Jun: Sicilia Queer Filmfest, Palermo. Cinema De Seta. 16.30. I will introduce the documentary on 1970s performer and activist Alfredo Cohen for which I provided narration. More info HERE

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2018

29 Dec: Almagest!’s “Fun House Mirrors” among the best albums of the year for OndaRock. More info HERE

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16 Dec: The Italian documentary about 1970s queer artist Alfredo Cohen, for which I provided narration, premieres in Lanciano (Cohen’s birthplace). The foyer of the town’s main theatre will be dedicated to him.

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07 Oct: Premiere, at the Florence Film Festival, of a new Italian documentary about 1970s queer artist Alfredo Cohen, for which I provided narration.

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04 Oct: Today opens at Rouge Oysters gallery in Copenhagen an exhibition of work and images by artist Louise Drost Harton. One of her giant images is a portrait of myself, wearing one of her headpieces.

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04 Oct: Herself, SHOWCASE anteprima “Rigel Playground” (Supermota Publishing/Urtovox) a La Feltrinelli Palermo. Onore, e menzione a parte, per il fatto che a “moderare” ci sarà il grande Ernesto Tomasini!

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20 – 23 Sep: Re e Regine – Mostra Fotografica al Village. A photographic exhibition on gender and androgyny features my written presentation and a portrait of myself by photographer Angelo Macaluso. Galleria Arte Moderna, Piazza Sant’Anna for Palermo Pride. More info HERE

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20 Sep: Sogno dell’ultima notte di quest’estate. Ernesto Tomasini ricorda Lindsay Kemp. Ore 21, Teatro Atlante, Palermo, Italy. More info HERE

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19 Sep: I will be talking about Lindsay Kemp and more, live, on Radio Action (Italy)

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10 Jun: Funny Peculiar Podcast. Episode 9: Ernesto Tomasini Castrato-Style Performer

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03 Jun: “An Evening with Ernesto Tomasini” with screening of Nendie Pinto-Dushinsky’s “One Life To Live” at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematorgrafia, in Palermo for the Sicilia Queer Filmfest. YOU CAN WATCH IT HERE (in Italian)

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31 May: I will perform with electronic producer go-Dratta at the opening ceremony of the Sicilia Queer Filmfest in Palermo. More info in Italian HERE

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30 Mar: Almagest! on Rai Radio 3 (Battiti). Podcast HERE

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27 Mar: Almagest! on Rai Radio 3 (Battiti). Podcast HERE

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23 Mar: “Amour Braque” Spiritual Front’s new album comes out on the Prophecy label. I am guest on the album, reciting “Love’s Vision” by Edward Carpenter, which also opens the live gigs. More info HERE

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21 Mar: “Madame E” is played and discussed on BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction. More info HERE

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16 Mar: “La bellezza riunita”, new compilation album released as CD and DD on the Lacerba label. More info on GQ HERE (in Italian)

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09 Mar: “Fun House Mirrors” LP out on Backwards Rec.: https://almagest-funhousemirrors.bandcamp.com/

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02 Mar: “La bellezza riunita”, new compilation album released as double LP on the Lacerba label. More info (in Italian) on Rock.it HERE

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18 Feb: New interview in Italian by Federico Sabatini on I Fiori del Male: LEGGILA QUI

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07 Feb: “Fun House Mirrors” will be premiered live on the 7th of February at Overlook#4, Cinema Classico, Torino, Italy on a double bill with Bruno Dorella‘s Jack Cannon. On this special occasion Almagest! will perform with live visuals by Diego Borgazzi aka agelasta (https://youtu.be/V2dRTOENu-M) and some special guests. Tickets pre-sales at www.cinemaclassico.it

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03 Feb: Ernesto Tomasini & Fabrizio Modonese Palumbo‘s album “The Hunting Dogs Of Boötes The Herdsman”, originally released on Chew-Z in 2010 and featuring exclusive live performances by Almagest! and remixes by Can Khan Oral, Marco Milanesio/Dsordne, Andrew Liles is now available for download on Bandcamp at
https://fabriziomodonesepalumbo.bandcamp.com/album/the-hunting-dogs-of-bo-tes-the-herdsman

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26 Jan: “One Life To Live”, a short film by Nendie Pinto-Dushinsky, released on Dangerous Minds. Read about it and watch it HERE

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19 Jan: PLAISIR par Ken Karter is Chapter 1 from MADAME E. Réintérprétations et Remixes series. Original version taken from MADAME E. by Mirco Magnani + Ernesto Tomasini.

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2017 (selection)

25 Dec: “Fun House Mirrors” DD out on Backwards Rec., a limited edition on CD in antistatic bag will be exclusively available at our shows and by old school mail order:
https://almagest-funhousemirrors.bandcamp.com/

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24 Dec: In 1969 Caravaggio’s “Nativity” was stolen from the Oratorio di San Lorenzo in Palermo. The FBI has been on its trails ever since but in vain. Each year, for 8 years, the foundation has asked an Italian painter to create a large canvas to fill the void left by the stolen masterpiece. This year the chosen painter is Alessandro Bazan and he has created a monumental picture that portrays me alongside a host of characters, for a contemporary Nativity of a different kind. The work will be unveiled at midnight and will stay in the Oratorio for a year. Needless to say I am chuffed. More info in Italian HERE

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18 Dec: New video for the promotion of PLAISIR par Ken Karter, Chapter 1 from MADAME E. Réintérprétations et Remixes series, out next year.

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15 Nov: “I Created Me”. Timeless will release a lush and sumptuous 200-page full-colour limited edition art book by photographer Jamie McLeod. The sole protagonist and inspiration being the singer-songwriter and performer Marc Almond. The book contains largely unseen photos from McLeod’s 20 year archive, working with Almond as both his muse and patron. Interspersed with the magnificently reproduced images are short and longer texts and appreciations by Marc’s friends and collaborators from throughout his career like Dave Ball, Anohni, Lindsay Kemp, Siouxsie Sioux, myself and many, many others. More info HERE

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26 Oct: “Beato Chi Ci Crede”, a new show with and by myself, singer Camilla Barbarito and musician Fabio Marconi previews at the Danae Festival, Out Off Theatre, Milan Italy. More info HERE

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24 Oct: Release of the documentary “Deliquium 2015 – Sound Art Triennial Part I”, in which I feature alongside other performers and bands from the international noise/industrial scene. Watch it HERE

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20 Oct: Premiere of Almagest! new video “Nne”, directed by Diego Borgazzi / agelasta. Watch it HERE

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04 Oct: Photo shoot in Copenhagen for artist Louise Drost, with photographer/filmmaker Peter Harton

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04 Aug: Star. New compilation album by Man Parrish in which I sing on 2 tracks, released. More info HERE

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02 Jul: An Evening with Ernesto Tomasini. Contemporary Art Museum, Palermo, Italy. More info (in Italian) HERE

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28 Jun: “Ernesto Tomasini: Voci Celestiali/Corpi Sensuali”, an illustrated lecture at the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Italy. More info HERE

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22 Jun: Honoured to have been chosen as the Official Ambassador for Pride 2017 in Italy. Press Conference today at the Teatro Massimo, Palermo Italy, with the Mayor and the President of the Region. More info HERE

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30 Mar: “Devotional Songs” on OE1 Orf 1 (Austrian national radio) and Shackleton interviewed about his collaborations. Listen to the podcast HERE

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29 Jan: “Madame E”, a new record based on Georges Bataille’s “Madame Edwarda”, released. More info and buy it HERE

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12 Jan: Pitti Uomo 2017, Florence, Italy. Carlo Volpi Fashion Show.

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2016 (selection)

29 Dec: “Devotional Songs” second best album of the year for critics of Onda Rock and Indie For Bunnies, also in the top 20 for Il Cartello and SRF.

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22 Dec: TUI Mag announces its list of the year’s 30 fundamental albums (without scoring) and “Devotional Songs” is one of them!

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22 Dec: Sentire Ascoltare announces its list of the year’s best albums and “Devotional Songs” is the best!

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12 Dec: The Wire announces its list of the year’s best albums and “Devotional Songs” is 35th. Full list HERE

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08 Dec: Comparing of a special celebration of Derek Jarman’s “Jubelee” in which I will also sing accompanied by Julia Kent and band members from Larsen, in Turin, Italy. More info HERE

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06 Dec: The Quietus announces its list of the year’s best albums and “Devotional Songs” is 18th! Full list HERE

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26 Oct: I am guest of Bar Italia, the Italian music programme on Shoreditch Radio. Podcast HERE

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14 Oct: Opening of the exhibition: “Carlos Motta: Requiem”, at MALBA (Modern Art Museum) in Buenos Aires. The film of Motta’s “Libera Me”, in which I star, is part of an installation. Closes 06 Feb 2017. More info HERE

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01 Oct: “Devotional Songs” best album of the year for the music critic of Blow Up Magazine.

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04 Aug: Shackleton & Ernesto Tomasini: “Devotional Songs” live at Dekmantel Festival, Amsterdam. More info HERE

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22 Jul: Shackleton’s “Devotional Songs” released as a double 12-inch, CD and download on Honest Jon label. More info HERE

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04 Jun: Carlos Motta’s “Libera Me” at Sui Generis – Festival of Performance, Lucca, Italy. More info HERE

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28 May: “Adam Donen’s Symphony to a Lost Generation”, world première, London. It’s the world’s first feature length fully holographic production. An arena-scale spectacular concerning the First World War, featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Choir, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra and a cast of 250. More info HERE

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17 May: “Bowie Night” with Marc Almond, Lindsay Kemp and Konstantin Lapshin. Ace Hotel, London. SOLD OUT

Left to right: Ernesto Tomasini, Marc Almond, Lindsay Kemp, Neal Whitmore (Sigue Sigue Sputnik), Nicholas Pegg (author of The Complete David Bowie), Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood). In the audience: Marilyn, Nicholas Kent, Arlene Phillips, Nickolas Grace.

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23 Apr: Shackleton & Ernesto Tomasini in “Devotional Songs” live at Arma17 in Moscow. More info HERE

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14 Apr: Inclusion in the Osservatorio delle Arti e della Scrittura. More info HERE

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09 Apr: “Ernesto Tomasini Live!”, National Theatre, Palermo, Italy. More info HERE

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20 Jan: Masterclass – RADA, London. I was invited to give a masterclass at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts for their Musical Masters series curated by Jane Streeton. Concerts and Masterclasses for all RADA staff and students. More info HERE