Alberto Iglesias

Alberto Iglesias
Iglesias at Film Music Festival in Kraków, 2013
Iglesias at Film Music Festival in Kraków, 2013
Background information
Born
Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi

(1955-10-21) 21 October 1955
GenresFilm score, contemporary classical music
OccupationComposer
Years active1983–present

Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi (born 21 October 1955)[1] is a Spanish composer. He was first noticed as a score composer for Spanish films, mostly from Pedro Almodóvar and Julio Medem.[1] His career became more international with time and he eventually started to work also in Hollywood. Since then, he has been nominated four times for an Academy Award for his work in the films The Constant Gardener (2005),[1] The Kite Runner (2007), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), and Parallel Mothers (2021). His other film credits include soundtracks for Steven Soderbergh's Che.[2] and Hossein Amini's The Two Faces of January (2014).[3] Iglesias also has worked for ballet and has done other classical music.

Early and personal life

Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi[4] was born in 1955 in San Sebastián, Spain.[5] His sister is visual artist Cristina Iglesias.[6][7] Iglesias was the brother-in-law of the Spanish sculptor, Juan Muñoz.[6][7]

Career

Iglesias studied harmony and counterpoint at the Conservatory of his home city, with Francisco Escudero, continuing his education in Paris, where he studied composition and piano, and at Phonos studios, in Barcelona, where he learned electronic music. Afterwards, he created a duo of electronic music with Javier Navarrete, who worked and performed together from 1981 to 1986. Iglesias began working in film composition in the 1980s.[8] He has composed a number of scores for films directed by Pedro Almodóvar, such as The Flower of My Secret (1995), Live Flesh (1997), All About My Mother (1999), Talk to Her (2002), Bad Education (2004), Volver (2006), Broken Embraces (2009) and The Skin I Live In (2011).[5][9][10][11][12][13][14]

Iglesias also composed the music for Sex and Lucia (2001), directed by Julio Medem[5] and for Oliver Stone's documentary, Comandante (2003).[5]

Iglesias garnered his first Oscar nomination for his score in Fernando Meirelles's film adaptation of The Constant Gardener (2005).[5] Iglesias also composed the score for The Kite Runner (2007), based on Khaled Hosseini's 2003 novel of the same name.[9] Iglesias earned his second Oscar nomination for that score.[13][15][16]

In 2008, Iglesias composed Steven Soderbergh's 2008 two-part biopic, Che (2008), starring Benicio del Toro as Che Guevara.[17]

That same year, Iglesias composed the music for Tomas Alfredson's film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, starring Gary Oldman as George Smiley. Iglesias told the Los Angeles Times: "(Alfredson) explained to me very well what this film is about. It's a film about loyalties and human relationships. Their spies are victims of this moment. That was the most important thing he told me. The film and the music show the more human side."[18] He received his third Oscar nomination for the latter film.[19]

Work

Film

YearTitleDirectorNotes
1983 La conquista de AlbaniaAlfonso Ungría
La muerte de MikelImanol Uribe
1987 Adiós pequeña
1992 Cows (Vacas)Julio Medem
1993 Outrage! (¡Dispara!)Carlos Saura
The Red SquirrelJulio Medem
1995 Una casa en las afuerasPedro Costa
The Flower of My SecretPedro Almodóvar
1997 Live Flesh
The Chambermaid on the TitanicBigas Luna
1998 Lovers of the Arctic CircleJulio Medem
1999 All About My MotherPedro Almodóvar
2001 Sex and LuciaJulio Medem
2002 Talk to HerPedro Almodóvar
The Dancer UpstairsJohn Malkovich
2004 Bad EducationPedro Almodóvar
2005 The Constant GardenerFernando Meirelles
2006 VolverPedro Almodóvar
2007 The Kite RunnerMarc Forster
2008 CheSteven Soderbergh
2009 Broken EmbracesPedro Almodóvar
2010 Even the RainIcíar Bollaín
2011 The Skin I Live InPedro Almodóvar
Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyTomas Alfredson
2012 I'm So ExcitedPedro Almodóvar
2014 The Two Faces of JanuaryHossein Amini
Exodus: Gods and KingsRidley Scott
2015 Ma MaJulio Medem
2016 JulietaPedro Almodóvar
2017 The SummitSantiago Mitre
2018 Quién te cantaráCarlos Vermut
Yuli: The Carlos Acosta StoryIcíar Bollaín
2019 Pain and GloryPedro Almodóvar
2020 The Human VoiceShort film
2021 Parallel Mothers
MaixabelIcíar Bollaín
2024 The Room Next DoorPedro Almodóvar
2026 Bitter Christmas

Ballet

Iglesias composed the musical score for four ballets produced by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato and the Spanish National Dance Company.

  • 1992 – Cautiva
  • 1994 – Tabulae
  • 1995 – Cero sobre Cero
  • 1997 – Self

Awards and nominations

Iglesias in 2025 holding his Goya Award for his work in The Room Next Door
Year Award Category Project Result Ref.
2005Academy AwardBest Original ScoreThe Constant GardenerNominated
2007The Kite RunnerNominated
2011Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyNominated
2021Parallel MothersNominated
2007Golden Globe AwardsBest Original ScoreThe Kite RunnerNominated
2022Parallel MothersNominated
2005British Academy Film AwardsBest Original MusicThe Constant GardenerNominated
2007The Kite RunnerNominated
2011Tinker Tailor Soldier SpyNominated
2004European Film AwardsBest ComposerBad Education & Take My EyesNominated
2006VolverWon
2011The Skin I Live InNominated
1992Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreVacasNominated
1993La ardilla rojaWon
1996TierraWon
1998Los amantes del círculo polarWon
1999Todo sobre mi madreWon
2001Lucia y el sexoWon
2002Hable con ellaWon[20]
2006VolverWon
2008CheNominated
2009Broken EmbracesWon
2010Even the RainWon
2011The Skin I Live InWon
2015Ma MaNominated
2016JulietaNominated
2017The SummitNominated
2018YuliNominated
2019Pain and GloryWon
2021MaixabelNominated
2019Cannes Film FestivalBest SoundtrackPain and GloryWon[21]
2011Hollywood Film FestivalSoundtrack Composer of the YearTinker Tailor Soldier Spy / The Skin I Live InWon
2019Platino AwardsBest Original ScoreYuliWon
2004World Soundtrack AwardsSoundtrack Composer of the YearBad EducationNominated
2005The Constant GardenerWon
2012Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy / The Skin I Live InWon[22]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gutierrez, Evan C. "Alberto Iglesias Biography". Allmusic. Netaktion LLC. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
  2. ↑ Baker, Aaron (31 May 2011). Steven Soderbergh. University of Illinois Press. p. 121. ISBN 978-0252036057.
  3. ↑ Amini, Hossein (2014). The Two Faces of January. Magnolia Pictures. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Alberto Iglesias". People.theiapolis. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Composer Iglesias Wins Spain Film Award". Fox News Channel. 3 September 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  6. 1 2 Lingwood, James (2 September 2001). "'He made the world larger'". The Observer. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Juan Munoz". The Daily Telegraph. 31 August 2001. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  8. ↑ Alberto Iglesias Biography, Allmusic
  9. 1 2 "Spain Honors a Film Composer". The New York Times. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  10. ↑ Wilmington, Michael (25 December 2002). "In 'Talk to Her,' Almodovar creates his masterpiece". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  11. ↑ Phillips, Michael (22 November 2006). "In 'Volver,' Almodovar masters a melange of genres". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  12. ↑ Mira, Alberto (2005). The Cinema of Spain and Portugal. Wallflower Press. ISBN 9781904764441.
  13. 1 2 "Alberto Iglesias, The Sound of Almodovar". WQXR-FM. 15 October 2011. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  14. ↑ Phillips, Michael (20 October 2011). "Sleek, lovely 'Skin I Live In' reveals elegance in the grotesque -- 3 stars". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "Alberto Iglesias". Hollywood.com.
  16. ↑ "Overview for Alberto Iglesias". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016.
  17. ↑ Phillips, Michael (16 September 2014). "'Che' stars Benicio Del Toro, Demian Bichir". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  18. ↑ Martens, Todd (8 December 2011). "The Scores: Iglesias searches for the sound of loyalty in 'Tinker'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "The 84th Academy Awards". The Boston Globe. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  20. ↑ Mira, Alberto (2010) The A to Z of Spanish Cinema, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 978-0810876224, p. 158
  21. ↑ EFE (25 May 2019). "La banda sonora de Alberto Iglesias para "Dolor y Gloria", premiada en Cannes". ABC (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  22. ↑ Kilday, Greg (21 October 2012) "Alberto Iglesias Named Film Composer of the Year at the World Soundtrack Awards", The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 September 2013