Mourning in the entertainment world this cold Friday December 23rd. As announced by the Neapolitan actress on her Facebook page Maria del Monte passed away in the past few hours at the age of 77, left an unfillable void in the family, friends and many colleagues with whom he shared the most important stages in Italy. His life has been dedicated to acting, both in theater and cinema, alongside the biggest names in show business from Mario Merola to Vincenzo Salemme and actresses of the caliber of Serena Autieri and Eva Grimaldi. A true talent that embodied the spirit of this Naples he adored above all else.
Maria del Monte, as a child prodigy at the big theater
Born in 1945, Maria del Monte – née Maria Esposito – was born in the heart of Naples from a humble but warm family. As she herself recounted in a rare interview with Informa Press, as a child she enjoyed a sing and recite at home with her sisters until her uncle took her to weddings and private parties where she performed to his guitar.
It was not a family of artists per se, but the influence of the stage was strong. Thanks to her father, Human Resources Director of the Teatro Tarsia (now Bracco) in Naples, Maria took her first steps in the world of entertainment. The occasion? An amateur competition held in this very theater by Nuncio Filogamo: “I have decided that I will also sing that evening. I went on stage during the show. I was only five and a half years old! It was on this occasion that Nunzio Filogamo baptized me, which I would later use as my stage name. From Maria Esposito I became Maria del Monte, in honor of the soprano Toti Dal Monte, to wish me the same success”.
From Merola to Siani, a career alongside the greatest artists
Since that moment, Maria del Monte has never left the stage, acting alongside the greatest artists of all time. You start with Mario Merolawhom he accompanied on tours between Canada and the United States, and Nuncio GallusMassimiliano’s father, then the Neapolitan plays by and with Mario Trevi, up to collaborations with other important names: Nino D’Angelo, Carlo Buccirosso, Vincenzo Salemme, Matteo Garrone, Maurizio Casagrande, Alessandro Siani.
One of the encounters that left a deep mark on her, as she says in the interview, was with Nino Formicola: “One of the students from Eduardo DeFilippo. It was Nino himself who introduced me to the maestro, who was very impressed with the tone of my voice. We arranged to meet again when his tour returned to Berlin. But in Berlin my friend Nino died. The pain was so great that I decided never to go back to De Filippo”.
Maria dal Monte, love of family and relationship with young people
Passed away on December 23, 2022 at the age of 77, Maria del Monte left a great void in her peers but also in the family that loved her so much. The social message posted on the actress’ Facebook page is eloquent: “It is with broken hearts that we inform you that this morning the good and esteemed actress and dear friend, Maria Del Monte, passed away. I offer my condolences Husband Carmine Esposito and son Massimo“.
She was an “over,” as we would now say, but the actress has always managed to have an excellent relationship with everyone, both her peers and younger ones. Never yielding, she faced every experience with grace and talent, and always jumped at the opportunity passes his knowledge on to those who are taking their first steps in the entertainment world.
“I always say that we have to stay humble and down to earth – he said in an interview –. Many feel they have come for a TV show or an extra. Instead, art is a long journey made up of Sacrifice, devotion and experience. Another fundamental thing, especially for women, is never to compromise. It’s a path that leads nowhere. Art is a profession that must be practiced with love. It takes time and sacrifice: you can only be successful if you do it with your heart.