Feb 7, 2026 10:05am PT Behind the Oscar-Nominated Songs From Documentaries ‘Viva Verdi’ and Diane Warren By Jon Burlingame Plus Icon Jon Burlingame @jonburlingame Latest Behind the Oscar-Nominated Songs From Documentaries ‘Viva Verdi’ and Diane Warren 23 minutes ago California Post Alliance Seeks Standalone Tax Incentive to Stop Post-Production Downturn 2 days ago Why Oscar Score Contenders Started Writing Music Even Before Shooting Began 4 weeks ago See All Jolt For only the second time in Academy Awards history, two of the five nominated songs are from documentaries—and one of them is an aria performed an opera star, also only the second time during the 91-year history of the category. Veteran songwriter Diane Warren earned her 17th nomination for “Dear Me” (written for a documentary about her career). The surprise in this list (outpolling songs by Stephen Schwartz, Miley Cyrus and Sara Bareilles) was “Sweet Dreams of Joy” from an obscure documentary titled “Viva Verdi!” Related Stories 'Nuisance Bear' Review: While Remarkable Footage of a Rare Bear Is Sure to Awe, the Sundance Winner’s Themes Prove a Bit More Muddled ‘The Strangers: Chapter 3’ Review: Even The Stabbing Feels Perfunctory in Weak Wrap to Horror Trilogy The film is about a retirement home for musicians, built in 1896 by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi (composer of such operas as “Aida” and “La Traviata”) and still in operation in Milan today.
