Via Concezione a Montecalvario 34, Napoli
SEA AND YOU – NAPLES, APRIL 26TH
The third and final event of the SEA and YOU Festival took place in Naples on Friday, April 26th, 2024, at 9.30pm at Teatro Stabile D’Innovazione Galleria Toledo.
Finally the project co-founded by the European Union arrived in Naples to make its third and final concert combining Classical Neapolitan Song, Fado and Flamenco. Discover below the details of what happened during the final stop of the SEA and YOU tour!
FIRST DAY – THE ARRIVAL
Upon their arrival in Naples on the evening of April 24th, the artists of Porto and Granada were welcomed by the Naples staff and all together they gathered for dinner at the restaurant Pizzeria Annarè: here they tasted typical dishes of Neapolitan culinary culture, including mixed frying appetizers and a most traditional pizza. It was a first welcome to the city of Naples.
SECOND DAY – EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES IN NAPLES
The following morning, April 25th, the artists reconvened at Napulitanata for a press conference. The project coordinator and Neapolitan musician, Domenico Emanuele Matania, alongside Jihan as Flamenco artists representative and Ricardo Pons as Fado artists representative, talked about the SEA and YOU project, the importance of this cultural exchange and the co-funding of the European Commission. They were joined by Sergio Locoratolo, coordinator of the cultural policies of the Municipality of Naples, who renewed the support of the municipality to the project SEA and YOU. He expressed his joy, in knowing that the city associations move in the European and Mediterranean context to promote culture and cohesion among peoples.
After the press conference, all the artists and journalist attended a lesson by Professor Pasquale Scialò, musicologist and composer, who talked about the origins of the Neapolitan Classical Song and its connections with Flamenco and Fado. In particular, the professor pointed out that in the Italian community as in the Spanish and Portuguese communities the singing, in its various forms, constitutes a common element that identifies and strengthens the intimate relationship between people. In addition, he played the song “Palomma”, a song that tells the sad story of a woman who loses herself for love. His arrangement includes the presence of the Portuguese guitar and the quotation of fado songs.
Soon after, they had lunch in the Galleria Principe with a catering served by Espresso Napoletano: it included various kind of pizzas, cold cuts and mozzarella, along with most typical neapolitan appetizers.
Then, the staff and the artists went for a guided tour of the historical center of Naples organized by Le Capere. Le Capere is an association born in 2016 with the aim of using culture as a way to promote the development of the historical and artistic heritage of Naples. The guide, in Spanish, accompanied the group through the main streets of the city, including Piazza Dante and Piazza del Gesù. They also visited Santa Chiara and its cloister. The church, designed by the architect and sculptor Gagliardo Primario in Gothic forms, was bombed during World War II in 1943 and later restored. The episode is also the subject of a famous post-war Neapolitan song “Munasterio ‘e Santa Chiara”, which tells the fears of an emigrant eager to return to his city but afraid to find it devastated by war. The monastery of Santa Chiara, destroyed by bombing, thus becomes a symbol of the anguish of Naples and the whole country. The cloister, “Chiostro Maiolicato delle Clarisse”, is a refined secular garden decorated with majolica tiles by Giuseppe and Donato Massa.
The guided tour ended in the Church of Santa Luciella ai Librai. The Church, abandoned for more than 30 years, was reopened thanks to the tenacity and work of the Association Respiriamo Arte in April 2019. The Association, founded by young Neapolitan cultural managers, was founded with the aim of recovering the historical and artistic heritage of the city of Naples through the protection and enhancement of places, monuments representing valuable legacies, often abandoned to neglect and degradation. Here the group learnt about the local cult of venerating the ‘anime pezzentelle’ – the souls trapped in purgatory. They also had the chance to see the famed skull with ears. Legend says that this unique skull serves as a bridge between the living and the dead, enabling communication with deceased loved ones. People believe they can petition these souls for blessings and favours.”.
Later in the evening, the staff and artists from Porto and Granada attended the Classical Neapolitan Music concert in Napulitanata. Here they listened the story of the association and enjoyed 1 hour of music surrounded by also some tourists that took part in the concert. After, it was time for the dinner.
They moved to the restaurant Al 53, a restaurant of traditional Neapolitan cuisine that is inclusive, slow food, and sustainable: it is one of the 6 restaurants in Naples not using single-use plastic according to Greenpeace’s website, a slow food stronghold sourcing its products from farmer and fishermen friends and also a restaurant that has great attention towards inclusivity themes. The dinner included typical Neapolitan appetizers, including seafood, octopus’ salad, mixed frying, eggplant parmesan and pasta, patate e provola as main dish. It was a moment of great fun and relax for all the artists. They also entertained the guests of the restaurant by singing and clapping, in an improvised fado-flamenco-neapolitan song show.
THIRD DAY – THE DAY OF THE CONCERT
Next morning, Friday 26th, appointment at Napulitanata, where the artists did some rehearsal for the main song of the concert “ ‘O Mare e tu”. They tried a new arrangement that could fit perfectly all the genres and artists performing it.
At lunch they could taste a very typical take-away food in Naples, “ ‘o cuzzetiello”, which is bread full of tomato sauce and meatballs.
In the afternoon, after some rest before the show, they all met again at the theatre, ready for the soundcheck.
As for the show in Granada and Porto, in Naples they decided to use the QR code, through which each viewer could download the program directly on his smartphone. The program had the explanation of the songs that the artists were going to play, in English and Italian.
It’s time to perform: 9:30pm, the theatre is full (299 seats), the lights are on, the instruments in position. Curtains open and the show starts with the performance of Enzo Gragnaniello, the author of the song “ ‘O Mare e tu” who sings and plays its own version.
The presentation of the show was entrusted to Gianni Simioli who explained what SEA and YOU is, a project co-funded by the European Union, introduced the artists and their repertoire. The show was also recorded and projected live streaming on the Facebook page of SEA and YOU, where it has been watched by 1064 viewers.
The first ones to perform were the Portuguese artists with their Fado, followed by the Spanish artists with the Flamenco and finally the hosts, the Neapolitan artists with their Classical Neapolitan Songs show.
The show ended with the performance on the notes of ‘O mare e tu‘ by the whole ensemble, with the voices of Adriana Paquete and Ricardo Monteiro for Fado, Pasquale Pirolli, Emanuela de Rosa, Manuela Renno and Alessandro Colmaier for Classical Neapolitan Song and Jihan, Nano Cortés and Jara Heredia for Flamenco.
FOURTH DAY – LAST DAY AND GREETINGS
On Saturday, appointment at 10:30 am at Napulitanata for a small gathering: the artists shared their opinions and feelings about the amazing journey they just experienced and greeted with affection and exchanges of gifts.
SEA and YOU was a resounding success! Everyone carries a piece of the festival in their hearts – the love, the memories, and a burning desire for a reunion. We can’t wait to come together again and share the magic of music once more!
THE ARTISTS WHO PERFORMED
PRESENTER OF THE CONCERT
Gianni Simioli
SPECIAL GUEST
Enzo Gragnaniello
PORTO
Singer/Fadista: Adriana Paquete
Singer/Fadista: Ricardo Monteiro
Bass guitar: Ricardo Pons
Portuguese guitar: André Ovadia Tavares Mariano
Classic Guitar: Rogério Rocha
GRANADA
Voice (flamenco and fusion): Jihan
Flamenco guitarist: Marcos Palometas
Flamenco dancer, claps and voice: Jara Heredia
Flamenco claps and voice: Nano Cortés
NAPLES
Singers: Emanuela de Rosa, Pasquale Pirolli, Alessandro Colmaier, Manuela Renno
Percussion: Fabio Esposito
Double Bass: Giuseppe Arena
Piano: Pasquale Cirillo
Trumpet: Antonio Sacco
Accordion: Mimmo Matania
Sax and Flute: Donata Greco
