Raffaele Viviani (10 January 1888 in Castellammare di Stabia, Province
of Naples â€" 22 March 1950) was an Italian author, playwright, actor
and musician. Viviani belongs to the turn-of-the-century school of
realism in Italian literature, and his works touch on seamier elements
of the lives of the poor in Naples of that period, such as petty crime
and prostitution. Critics have termed Viviani "an autodidact realist,"
meaning that he acquired his skills through personal experience and
not academic education.Viviani appeared at age 4 on the stage, and by
age 20 he had acquired a solid nationwide reputation as an actor and
playwright. He also played in Budapest, Paris, Tripoli, and throughout
South America during his career. His plays are in the
"anti-Pirandello" style, less concerned with the psychology of people
than with the lives they lead. Viviani's best known-work is L'ultimo
scugnizzo (The Last Urchin) (1931), scugnizzo being the underclass
Neapolitan street child. Viviani composed songs and incidental music
for many of his earlier works. One such well-known melodrama is via
Toledo di notte, (Via Toledo by Night) a 1918 work which even
incorporates American cakewalk and ragtime rhythms to tell the story
of the "street people" of via Toledo, the most famous street in
Naples.A listing of Viviani's major works is also listed inThe
complete theatrical output of Viviani is listed in
of Naples â€" 22 March 1950) was an Italian author, playwright, actor
and musician. Viviani belongs to the turn-of-the-century school of
realism in Italian literature, and his works touch on seamier elements
of the lives of the poor in Naples of that period, such as petty crime
and prostitution. Critics have termed Viviani "an autodidact realist,"
meaning that he acquired his skills through personal experience and
not academic education.Viviani appeared at age 4 on the stage, and by
age 20 he had acquired a solid nationwide reputation as an actor and
playwright. He also played in Budapest, Paris, Tripoli, and throughout
South America during his career. His plays are in the
"anti-Pirandello" style, less concerned with the psychology of people
than with the lives they lead. Viviani's best known-work is L'ultimo
scugnizzo (The Last Urchin) (1931), scugnizzo being the underclass
Neapolitan street child. Viviani composed songs and incidental music
for many of his earlier works. One such well-known melodrama is via
Toledo di notte, (Via Toledo by Night) a 1918 work which even
incorporates American cakewalk and ragtime rhythms to tell the story
of the "street people" of via Toledo, the most famous street in
Naples.A listing of Viviani's major works is also listed inThe
complete theatrical output of Viviani is listed in
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