IDEA PRESS & IDEA MUSIC 

     Born in Mola Di Bari (Apulia, Italy) in 1954, Leonardo Campanile immigrated to the United States in 1972 and settled in Brooklyn, New York. Since 1973, he has actively participated to the Italian community in New York. In 1976 he was elected President of the Circolo Culturale di Mola and he assumed the position of Editor-in Chief of L’Idea Magazine. In 1996, Campanile transformed it into a quarterly magazine. Under his direction, L’Idea became the first official voice of the Apulians in America. In April of 2000, the Italian government officially declared L’Idea the Periodical of Italians Abroad. Mr. Campanile is also a prolific columnist for various Italian American magazines and the co-author of the book "Doña Flor, An Opera by Niccolò van Westerhout," published in 2010 by Idea Publications. Leonardo Campanile has created and implemented unique activities in the Apulian and Italian communities, including the award Premio Puglia and the L’Idea’s official award for outstanding journalism: Premio Giornalistico L’Idea nel Mondo. Mr. Campanile has also made the first performance in the United States of the 1896 opera “Doña Flor” by Niccolò van Westerhout possible. He received accolades and tributes from the City Council of New York, the Senate of the State of New York, the Cities of Philadelphia and Oakland, the Senate of California, the Province of Avellino, the cities of Santeramo in Colle, Ceglie Messapica, Bitonto, Cesena and Mola Di Bari. In 2012, along with Tiziano Thomas Dossena, he was awarded the “Globo Tricolore Award” for his outstanding work in the publishing industry.