Massimo Ranieri

Massimo Ranieri has proved himself a versatile talent of Italian music, film and theatre.

Born in Naples, Italy, he was first noticed by songwriter Giovanni Polito while performing in a restaurant.

He made his television debut in 1966 in the variety show Scala Reale, singing the famous L'amore è una cosa meravigliosa (Love is a Many Splendored Thing).

While his singing career continued to flourish with a string of hit singles, his acting talents also came to the fore. He enjoyed an award-winning role in the movie Metello, while other appearances include co-starring with Yul Brynner in Death Rage. Meanwhile, among his theatre appearances are Molière’s Imaginary Invalid and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

Ranieri became an FAO Goodwill Ambassador in 2002. His work in this role has included an FAO-dedicated concert in Rome, Italy.

"Every morning I wake up thinking how lucky I am for the things I have received in life,” he said. “If I can help FAO to convey their worthwhile message, then this is, in a small way, my way of repaying the debt."