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As it turns out, there are a few key players in the history of music who have contributed to this phenomenon. Let\u2019s have a look\u2026<\/p>\n
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Opera and Neapolitan Folk Music<\/h2>\n
Gaetano Donizetti was certainly one of the more well-known composers of his time, producing the beloved Bel Canto favorites such as L\u2019elisir d\u2019amor<\/em> and Don Pasquale<\/em>. In fact, for the six or seven years between Bellini\u2019s death and the rise of Verdi\u2019s fame, Donizetti was THE prominent figure in the Italian opera world<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \n His earlier accomplishments had gained the attention of the leading maestro of the day, Domenico Barbaia, who invited the young composer to Naples to study under his tutelage. Donizetti would remain principally based in Naples for the bulk of his productive years<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \n It was within this period, roughly the 1830s, that Donizetti entered a song-writing contest during the first edition of the Festival of Piedigrotta in Naples. This festival remained a popular annual event, all the way up until the 1950s. And during that inaugural year, Donizetti\u2019s song, Te voglio bene assaie<\/em>, won first place<\/strong>, suggesting a musical bridge, or at least some common ground, between opera lirica<\/em> and musica napulitana<\/em>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Then at the beginning of the 20th century, a type of stage musical formed in Naples called Sceneggiata<\/em>. The literal translation is \u201cscripted,\u201d so in essence, these were a type of soap opera<\/strong> that dealt with daily life issues of people living in Naples, and later, Italian immigrants in the U.S. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Common themes were domestic troubles, love affairs gone wrong, betrayal, revenge\u2014in summary, many of the same human themes explored in traditional opera<\/strong>. Perhaps one difference is that some of the dialogue was spoken (almost always in Neapolitan dialect), and then every so often the stage action would halt for one of the characters to belt out a tune, not unlike an aria.<\/p>\n Perhaps the lasting popularity of Neapolitan folk songs can also be attributed to Enrico Caruso<\/strong>, who often sang them as encores at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in the early 1900s. Nowadays, it seems almost obligatory that operatic tenors be required to have these in their repertoire, and therefore, it\u2019s not unusual to find a few Neapolitan folk songs on \u201copera\u201d aria albums.<\/p>\n Even if not taken directly from a full opera production, the songs certainly sound \u201coperatic,\u201d as if they could have been from an opera. These crowd-pleasers seem to be as popular with the singers as they are with the listeners<\/strong>. Just about every famous tenor, from the great Luciano Pavarotti to \u201cpopera\u201d crossover singer Andrea Bocelli has recorded albums full of these lively and sentimental songs.<\/p>\n Even up to the present day, there are artists in Naples who are keeping the traditions of the folk song alive<\/strong>. Not only by singing the old songs, but also by creating new ones in the same musical style<\/a>. Pino Daniele, who died in 2015, was among the most famous of these singers, who often combined elements of Neapolitan folk music with the blues <\/strong>and other musical genres. <\/p>\n The group Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare<\/em> was founded in Naples in 1969 and is still touring and making albums today, although with various lineup changes. Their mission has always been to research and spread the traditional music from Campania<\/strong> (and more generally from South Italy), working with an ethnomusicologist to ensure that the music is genuine and true to its origins.<\/p>\n Most people know the traditional songs, or at least the melodies, even if they can\u2019t name them (or pronounce them). To help you out, here is a short list of the most popular<\/strong> of these beloved tunes\u2026 which are YOUR favorites? Leave a comment below.<\/p>\n \n \u2018A vucchella<\/a><\/p>\n \n \n Core \u2018ngrato<\/a><\/p>\n \n \n Funicul\u00ec, Funicul\u00e0<\/a><\/p>\n \n \n Malafemmena<\/a><\/p>\n \n \n \u2018O sole mio<\/a><\/p>\n \n \n \u2018O surdato \u2018nnammurato<\/a><\/p>\n \n \n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/napoli.jpg\" "\\"napoli\\"")
<\/span><\/p>\nMusica Napulitana<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/rickzullo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/pavarotti.jpg\" "\\"pavarotti\\"")
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