Laurea Honoris Causa to Umberto Orsini on the Day of the Performing Arts

University - 08 October 2025 - Event date 17 October 2025

Umberto Orsini  received Laurea Magistrale Honoris Causa in Television, Cinema and New Media at IULM University

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IULM University will confered the Laurea Magistrale Honoris Causa in Television, Cinema and New Media to Umberto Orsini, one of the absolute protagonists of the Italian theater and film scene.

The ceremony was held on Friday, October 17, at 11 a.m., at the IULM Auditorium on the occasion of the Day of Performing Arts, in the presence of Rector Valentina Garavaglia and AGIS President Francesco Giambrone. The laudatio was held by Claudio Longhi, Director of Piccolo Teatro di Milano.

The Rector stated:
"It was an honor for me to award the degree to Orsini during my own tenure as Rector — I, who am a historian of Theatre — and precisely on the Day of Performing Arts. It is an act of love toward this art form, an indispensable means of human communication, celebrated in the name of a great international master."

"Today marks the first of the days dedicated to the performing arts that will accompany the celebrations for the eightieth anniversary of AGIS. We wanted to begin with IULM University, on an occasion made even more meaningful by the awarding of the Honorary Degree to an undisputed protagonist of Italian culture and performing arts, Umberto Orsini, because we are convinced that education and performance are two inseparable and complementary dimensions," said AGIS President Giambrone.

In his laudatio, Claudio Longhi described the great actor with these words:
"A warm and enveloping voice, blended with fog and metal, capable of mysterious shadings and woven with arcane nostalgia; sharp and penetrating eyes, a sober and nervous elegance, somewhere between British and Piedmontese; a restrained yet cutting beauty, always ready, however, to dissolve into a warm and open smile that carries the colors and lights of Rome. With his meticulous and passionate work for over half a century, Umberto Orsini has carefully examined Italian acting (in a genuinely transmedial sense), seeking to distill its rules while never ceasing to invent its exceptions."

For his part, Umberto Orsini, visibly moved, said in thanking IULM for the honor:
"On stage I am increasingly myself — I go beyond the characters. I feel the need to recall years of evenings and encounters by putting my own face into it, a face that already has a story to tell. Today, however, this title moves me as much as a debut, because it recognizes my entire journey."

 

Cultivated, passionate, artist and producer capable of combining tradition and innovation, Umberto Orsini has been treading the Italian and international stages for almost sixty years, distinguishing himself for his extraordinary talent and the depth of his artistic commitment.
Trained at the Accademia Nazionale d'Arte Drammatica, Orsini made his theater debut in 1957 with the Compagnia dei Giovani, later collaborating with the Morelli-Stoppa company and with some of the most important figures of the 20th-century theater scene.
His art has been shaped by encounters with great masters such as Luchino Visconti, Federico Fellini, Franco Zeffirelli, Gabriele Lavia, Luca Ronconi and Massimo Castri, up to the directors of the new generations, including Pietro Babina.
For eighteen years Orsini directed the Teatro Eliseo in Rome, one of Italy's most important private theaters. Alongside his intense theatrical activity, he has participated in numerous film and television productions, always maintaining a deep connection with the stage and the audience.
At a time of crisis in the industry, Orsini founded La Compagnia Orsini, once again demonstrating his faith in theater as a space for growth and renewal. With a visionary spirit, he was able to enhance young talent and open new creative perspectives, confirming his ability to look to the future with passion and courage.
With the conferral of the Laurea Honoris Causa, IULM University intends to pay tribute to a master who has made a decisive contribution to the history of Italian theater and who continues to transmit to new generations the value of culture, artistic research and experimentation. The award also underscores IULM University's role in promoting dialogue between the performing arts and new media languages.



This event is part of the Badge of Honour initiative for all students in the Bachelor's and Master's degree programs. Participation in this event corresponds to the completion of 1 of 4 activities (for students enrolled in the Master's Degree Courses) and 1 of 6 activities (for students enrolled in the Bachelor's Degree Courses) required to earn the Badge of Honour point.