Giorgio van Straten Writer

Giorgio van Straten (born 1955) is an Italian writer, editor, translator and manager of arts organizations. In 2000 he was awarded the Grand Official Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. That same year he won four literary prizes for Il mio nome a memoria, published in English as My Name, A Living Memory (2003).From 1985 to 2002 Van Straten was the chairman of the Orchestra of Tuscany. From 2002 to 2005 he was general director of Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. From 2005 to 2008 he managed Palazzo delle Esposizioni e Scuderie del Quirinale in Rome. On 18 February 2009 he was appointed by the Parliamentary Commission for general direction and supervision of broadcasting services to the board of directors of the RAI. He also served as president of AGIS, the Italian association for the performing arts.