Francesco Cilea (also Cilèa;Palmi, 23 July 1866 – Varazze, 20 November 1950) was an Italian composer. Today he is particularly known for his operas L'arlesiana and Adriana Lecouvreur.
Born in Palmi near Reggio di Calabria, Cilea gave early indication of an aptitude for music when at the age of four he heard a performance of Vincenzo Bellini's Norma and was greatly affected by it. He was sent to study music at the Conservatorio San Pietro a Maiella in Naples, where he quickly demonstrated his diligence and precocious talent, earning a gold medal from the Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione (Department of Education).
In 1889, for his final examination at the end of his course of study, he submitted his opera Gina, with a libretto by Enrico Golisciani which was adapted from the old French play Catherine, ou La Croix d'or by Baron Anne-Honoré-Joseph Duveyrier de Mélésville (1787—1865). This melodramma idilico was performed in the college theatre, and it attracted the attention of the publishers Sonzogno, who arranged for a second production, in Florence, in 1892.
One nite, I met you
As the rain glistened in the shine of your eyes
Dream with the stars
Dream of me
Dream of everything you wanna see
Whoa whoa whoaaaaa
Yea yea yeaaaaa
Francesca, Francesca
What a pretty name
For a pretty girl like you
Goodnight sweet dreams
As I lay here thinking of you
Where you are
Where you've been
Where you're going to
All the rivers cry out a song
As we all sing together
Tell me what you wanna be
Tell me what you wanna see