Alberto Iglesias


Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi is a Spanish composer. He was first noticed as a score composer for Spanish films, mostly from Pedro Almodóvar and Julio Medem. His career became more international with time and he eventually started to work also in Hollywood. Since then, he has been nominated four times for an Academy Award for his work in the films The Constant Gardener, The Kite Runner, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Parallel Mothers. His other film credits include soundtracks for Steven Soderbergh's Che. and Hossein Amini's The Two Faces of January. Iglesias also has worked for ballet and has done other classical music.

Early and personal life

Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi was born in 1955 in San Sebastián, Spain. His sister is visual artist Cristina Iglesias. Iglesias was the brother-in-law of the late Spanish sculptor, Juan Muñoz.

Career

Iglesias studied harmony and counterpoint at the Conservatory of his home city, with Francisco Escudero, continuing his education in Paris, where he studied composition and piano, and at Phonos studios, in Barcelona, where he learned electronic music. Afterwards, he created a duo of electronic music with Javier Navarrete, who worked and performed together from 1981 to 1986. Iglesias began working in film composition in the 1980s. He has composed a number of scores for films directed by Pedro Almodóvar, such as The Flower of My Secret, Live Flesh, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, Bad Education, Volver, Broken Embraces and The Skin I Live In.
Iglesias also composed the music for Sex and Lucia, directed by Julio Medem and for Oliver Stone's documentary, Comandante.
Iglesias garnered his first Oscar nomination for his score in Fernando Meirelles's film adaptation of The Constant Gardener. Iglesias also composed the score for The Kite Runner, based on Khaled Hosseini's 2003 novel of the same name. Iglesias earned his second Oscar nomination for that score.
In 2008, Iglesias composed Steven Soderbergh's 2008 two-part biopic, Che, starring Benicio del Toro as Che Guevara.
That same year, Iglesias composed the music for Tomas Alfredson's film adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, starring Gary Oldman as George Smiley. Iglesias told the Los Angeles Times: " explained to me very well what this film is about. It's a film about loyalties and human relationships. Their spies are victims of this moment. That was the most important thing he told me. The film and the music show the more human side." He received his third Oscar nomination for the latter film.

Work

Ballet

Iglesias composed the musical score for four ballets produced by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato and the Spanish National Dance Company.
  • 1992Cautiva
  • 1994 – Tabulae
  • 1995 – Cero sobre Cero
  • 1997 – ''Self''

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryProjectResultRef.
2005Academy AwardBest Original ScoreThe Constant GardenerNomitated
2007Academy AwardBest Original ScoreThe Kite RunnerNomitated
2011Academy AwardBest Original ScoreTinker Tailor Soldier SpyNomitated
2021Academy AwardBest Original ScoreParallel MothersNomitated
2007Golden Globe AwardsBest Original ScoreThe Kite RunnerNomitated
2022Golden Globe AwardsBest Original ScoreParallel MothersNomitated
2005British Academy Film AwardsBest Original MusicThe Constant GardenerNomitated
2007British Academy Film AwardsBest Original MusicThe Kite RunnerNomitated
2011British Academy Film AwardsBest Original MusicTinker Tailor Soldier SpyNomitated
2004European Film AwardsBest ComposerBad Education & Take My EyesNomitated
2006European Film AwardsBest ComposerVolverWon
2011European Film AwardsBest ComposerThe Skin I Live InNomitated
1992Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreVacasNomitated
1993Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreLa ardilla rojaWon
1996Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreTierraWon
1998Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreLos amantes del círculo polarWon
1999Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreTodo sobre mi madreWon
2001Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreLucia y el sexoWon
2002Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreHable con ellaWon
2006Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreVolverWon
2008Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreCheNomitated
2009Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreBroken EmbracesWon
2010Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreEven the RainWon
2011Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreThe Skin I Live InWon
2015Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreMa MaNomitated
2016Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreJulietaNomitated
2017Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreThe SummitNomitated
2018Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreYuliNomitated
2019Goya AwardsBest Original ScorePain and GloryWon
2021Goya AwardsBest Original ScoreMaixabelNomitated
2019Cannes Film FestivalBest SoundtrackPain and GloryWon
2011Hollywood Film FestivalSoundtrack Composer of the YearTinker Tailor Soldier Spy / The Skin I Live InWon
2019Platino AwardsBest Original ScoreYuliWon
2004World Soundtrack AwardsSoundtrack Composer of the YearBad EducationNomitated
2005World Soundtrack AwardsSoundtrack Composer of the YearThe Constant GardenerWon
2012World Soundtrack AwardsSoundtrack Composer of the YearTinker Tailor Soldier Spy / The Skin I Live InWon
-World Soundtrack AwardsSoundtrack Composer of the Year---