Anthony Minghella

Anthony Minghella was born in 1954 on the Isle of Wight to Italian parents and died in March 2008 at the age of  54. He was married to Carolyn Choa. Writing for Stage, Television and Radio includes: »Whale Music«, »A Little Like Drowning«, »Made in Bangkok«, »What if it's Raining?«, »Cigarettes and Chocolate«, »Hang Up«, »Inspector Morse« and »The Storyteller«. Films as writer and director include: »Truly Madly Deeply«, »The English Patient«, »The Talented Mr Ripley«, »Cold Mountain« and »Breaking And Entering« (which was his first original screenplay for 15 years). In 2005, Anthony directed »Madam Butterfly« for English National Opera at the London Coliseum. It received an Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production and Outstanding Achievement in Opera for Anthony Minghella’s direction and Carolyn Choa’s co-direction and choreography. This production then opened in New York in 2006 at the Metropolitan Opera House. Anthony was awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Hull in 1998, the University of Southampton in 2000 and the University of Bournemouth in 2001. He is the first Freeman of the Isle of Wight. In June 2001, Anthony was awarded a CBE. He was Chairman of the BFI.