Avvenne a Napoli | Modena, Italy

The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, in collaboration with the Municipality of Modena and thanks to the support of Foundation di Modena, paid tribute to Maestro Pavarotti’s memory with a concert held at the Teatro Comunale Pavarotti – Freni on the evening of 6 September, the 16th anniversary of the tenor’s passing.

The event starred an extraordinarily talented artist, Eduardo De Crescenzo, an high-class and passionate singer and performer, musician and composer.

Through Eduardo De Crescenzo’s “Avvenne a Napoli” concert, the Pavarotti Foundation wanted to celebrate the great passion that Maestro had for the traditional Neapolitan song to which he so often paid tribute in his recitals and concerts: his interpretations were a tribute to the beauty and essence of Naples.

“AVVENNE A NAPOLI – Passione per voce e piano” was a concert suspended between the best Italian tradition and innovation. Eduardo De Crescenzo, interpreted the Classical Neapolitan Song from the period between 1800 and 1950. Fenesta vascia, Era de maggio, Luna nova, ‘A vucchella, I’ te vurria vasa’, Uocchie c’arraggiunate, Voce ‘e notte, Passione, Serenata napulitana, Silenzio cantatore, Maria Marì… were pearls from the repertoire that shaped him, albeit in the evolution of his musical personality.

A project to tell the new generations about a miracle that took place in Naples, when fine musicians and great poets intertwined their talents and song became “Art”. They created a repertoire, derived from Opera, to invent the “song form” as we still practice it today. It is also in this repertoire that the figure of the “performer” is emphasized over that of the “singer”. Only Eduardo’s accordion will be an exception. Accompanying this magical journey was the talented and international renowned pianist Julian Oliver Mazzariello. A valuable musical homage that aimed to restore the authentic spirit of that time in all its unsurpassed modernity.

Also taking part in the concert were the young promises of bel canto supported by the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, Iolanda Massimo and Giuseppe Infantino, who gave the audience at the Teatro Comunale an operatic interpretation of some famous traditional Neapolitan songs.

Photos by : Gianluca Naphtalina Camporesi