Encouraged by Eliodoro Sollima, Marco Betta began studying composition, and under the latter’s guidance, graduated from the Conservatory of Music of Palermo. Betta subsequently specialised in Florence, with Armando Gentilucci, and in Città Di Castello with Salvatore Sciarrino. From 1994 until 2002, Betta worked as art director for the Teatro Massimo of Palermo which reopened on  May 12 1997, after it had been closed for 23 years. Betta holds the Chair in Composition at the Conservatory of Palermo Conservatory.

As composer, he made his debut in 1982 at the Festival Spazio Musica of Cagliari. In 1985 Betta composed Il palazzo incantato, for chamber orchestra, a work which already began to define the main elements of his approach to music: melodies, suspended harmony and chord structures that merge with music of ancient Mediterranean cultures and the great classical tradition of our time. The concept of music conditioned by the ancient literary and architectural cultures of Sicily and the Mediterranean was the point of departure for Betta’s subsequent compositions. It gave rise to a series of works for solo instrument and chamber ensembles such as In ombra d’amore ballata per viola (1988), Maiores umbræ for 5 instruments (1989), Cadentia sidera for piano and string orchestra (1989), Ballata per violino e pianoforte (1990), Senti l’eco, an aria for orchestra (1990) with which Betta began his collaboration with the music publisher Ricordi, and Concerto for Harp and Orchestra (1992) dedicated to the italian harpist Elena Zaniboni.

Under the direction of Massimo de Bernart, his Veneziana for orchestra was performed and truly launched his international career. His music was broadcast and performed in countries in Europe, the United States, the ex-URSS, Argentina, and Brazil. In Italy, he began receiving invitations and commissions from theatres and festivals such as the Teatro Alla Scala, Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Accademia Chigiana of Siena, the Arena of Verona, the RAI Symphonic Orchestra of Rome, the Tuscan Regional Orchestra, among others. In 1993 Betta was invited by Marco Tutino to participate in the composing of the “Requiem per le vittime della mafia” (“Requiem for victims of the mafia”) with Lux aeterna to a text by Vincenzo Consolo. His instrumental works include: Concerto for harp and orchestra, Cit

Betta is also an active composer for film and theatre, he composed among others, the soundtrack for Il Manoscritto del Principe, directed by Roberto Andò in 2000, produced by Giuseppe Tornatore, and various music scores for the stage, collaborating with directors such as Micha van Hoecke, Piero Maccarinelli, Lamberto Puggelli, Mariano Rigillo. Particularly prolific in the field of musical theatrical productions, Betta has composed various operas and works for musical stage productions such as Sabaoth e Sammael (1995), a chamber work to a text by Giovanni Carli Ballola; Bellini, ultime luci a one-act work to a text by Dario Oliveri (1996); Radio favole, a radio work to a text by Oliviero La Stella (1997); Averroè, a one-act work to a text by Daniele Martino (1999); Il concerto dei gatti, a chamber work in one act from Fiabe lunghe un sorriso by Gianni Rodari (2000); Nevebianca, a chamber work on a text by Giovanni Maniscalco Basile (2001). With Andrea Camilleri, in 2001, he wrote the fable for narrating voice and orchestra, Magaria. This marked the beginning of a collaboration with Andrea Camilleri and director Rocco Mortelliti for the creation of a cycle of operatic works based on Le inchieste del Commissario Collura.

The first, Il fantasma nella cabina on a text by Andrea Camilleri and libretto by Rocco Mortelliti, was performed in December 2002 at the Teatro Donizetti of Bergamo. This was followed by performances at the Teatro Comunale of Modena, the Teatro del Giglio of Lucca, the Teatro Vittorio Emanuele of Messina, and the Teatro dell’Opera of Rome. The following year, the Accademia Chigiana of Siena staged the second part of the cycle, the two one-act works, Il mistero del finto cantante and Che fine ha fatto la piccola Irene?. In 2004 he composed the music for the soundtrack of the international exhibition on Perugino, and together with his communications and advertising friend Ferruccio Barbera, recently passed away, Betta composed the soundtrack for the exhibitions “Magazzini siciliani”, “Extra Moenia” by Velasco, and for an advertising campaign of the Sicily Region “2005 Grand Tour”. A project then followed with Placido Domingo who performed Betta’s composition Corone di pietra in MondoVision at the Arena of Verona. This was an aria for tenor, chorus, and orchestra to a text by Daniele Martino. Marco Betta has recently completed composing the music for the play Paolo Borsellino, by Ruggero Cappuccio, touring Italian theatres this season. The play is directed by Ruggero Cappuccio.

Recently Works:

Sette storie per lasciare il mondo – opera for music and film in seven parts di Roberto Andò e Marco Betta performed at Teatro Bellini in Catania (September 2006).

Natura viva opera in one act on a text by Ruggero Cappuccio, performed al 73° Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 2010

Sountrack for Viaggio Segreto – film directed by Roberto Andò in 2006.