Famous People: Sophia Loren
This is an archive article from 03/14/16
Photo: Courtesy of Bravo Awards
There are some names in this world that take your breath away. They make you speechless. They carry so much in them. They are epochal. One of them is – Sophia Loren.
What comes to your mind when you pronounce this magical name? Tremendous talent, incredible beauty, warm wisdom – these are just a few characteristics of this legendary woman. It is hard to find enough words to describe her and her long-lasting beauty, and she did it better than anyone else: “There is a fountain of youth: it is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.”
If you want to hear more from this legendary woman, an icon of style, beauty, grace and artistry, come to “An Evening with Sophia Loren” organized by St. Charles-based Onesti Entertainment Corporation, a leading entertainment company in Midwest. This family friendly event will take place on the grounds of spectacular Copernicus Center in Chicago on March 24 at 7:30 p.m. with the doors and box office opening at 6:30 p.m.
As Sophia Loren once said, “the two big advantages I had at birth were to have been born wise and to have been born in poverty.” Yes, her life wasn’t easy, and probably many people would have given up under such incredibly difficult circumstances, but not Sophia. She was born in 1934 to a young and beautiful Italian actress Romilda Villani and a construction engineer Riccardo Scicolone who never married her mother. Sophia grew up in extreme poverty at her grandmother’s house in a small Italian town Pozzuoli, where she lived with her mother and many other relatives. Still being a child, Loren witnessed all the horrors of World War II that left unforgettable and scary memories in her soul.
Surprisingly enough, this woman who is considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world was called “the ugliest child I ever saw in my life” by her wet nurse and a “little stick” by her classmates. Nevertheless, just as the ugly duckling in a famous fairytale, Loren turned into a gorgeous swan by age fourteen when she took part in a beauty competition. Since then, her life has changed forever.
Hard work, incredible talent, extreme dedication to her job, and an amazing inner and physical attractiveness resulted in her over five decade prolific career and multiple awards. The most remarkable ones are the Best Actress Academy Award for the film “Two Women” in 1961, which made her the first artist to win an Oscar for a foreign-language performance, and an Academy Honorary Award in 1991 in acknowledgement of her indelible contributions to world cinema.
Sophia Loren earned six David di Donatello Awards for Best Actress, the most ever received: Two Women, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Marriage Italian-Style (for which she was nominated for a second Oscar), Sunflower, The Voyage, and A Special Day. She also won a Grammy Award, five special Golden Globes, a BAFTA Award, a Laurel Award, and the Honorary Academy Award in 1991. In 1995, she received the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievements.
Now, this legendary woman is coming to Chicago thanks to one of the most reputable and successful entertainment companies in the Midwest, Onesti Entertainment Corporation that is based in St. Charles, Illinois. This incredible company produces over two hundred concerts, corporate events, casino shows and festivals annually all over the United States. Its president and founder, Ron Onesti, is a three-time Emmy award winner for his work in television and is a recipient of The Ellis Island Medal Of Honor, one of only three medals recognized by Congress. He has his own show on WGN.FM and a weekly column in the Daily Herald. Also, serving as director of Arcada Theatre, Onesti brought national recognition and attention to St. Charles.
An Evening with Sophia Loren will take place at the spectacular Copernicus Theatre. This beautiful venue has a long history and serves the metropolitan Chicago area as a major civic, cultural, educational, recreational and entertainment center. Since the beginning of its existence in the 1980s, the Copernicus Center has been considered to be a monument to the Polish American community and retains its rich heritage while serving and entertaining the residents of Chicago and its suburbs. Located at 5216 W. Lawrence Avenue in Chicago, the Copernicus Theatre is proud to welcome such a famous person as Sophia Loren.
I would like to end this article with a quote from Sophia Loren who teaches us wisdom, grace and love to life with her every word, eye movement, and intonation of her voice. Here is what she said: “After all these years, I am still involved in the process of self-discovery. It's better to explore life and make mistakes than to play it safe. Mistakes are part of the dues one pays for a full life.” Live a full life with Sophia Loren, a woman whose quality, wisdom and beauty have been shining for many years and will shine forever.
Natalia Dagenhart