Life of one of the greatest singers in the opera world.
Music
Past-vs-Present
Modern music is very much influenced by the music of the 17th century.
Italian Singer-Songwriters
Cantautori: the essence of Italian music
About a Violin
Just two fiddles in a case. That’s how an old friend described the rare Cremonese violins he had just seen on their way from one recital to another. Together, they are worth in the low 8 figures, so I can’t help wondering what their maker, Guarneri del Gesù, a solitary, ailing man […]
Opera
Italy: A Music Lover’s Paradise The first time I stayed in Rome for an extended visit, I had the opportunity to hang out with an American expat who had an apartment in Trastevere. The neighborhood there was very working-class and family-oriented, and the multi-storied apartment building wrapped around a courtyard. […]
Neapolitan Music
Since the 15th century and all the way to the 1950s, Neapolitan music has been in continuous evolution. Many contemporary lovers may associate it with the work and figure of Renato Carosone, who had the merit to bring Naples’ own musical heart around the world. But Carosone did even more than that: he opened […]
Morgan
Morgan, an eclectic and controversial Italian artist.
Mika in Milan
International artist Mika is very much loved in Italy. In September 2015 he surprised a few passers-by with this incredible street performance in Milan. Mika has lived in Italy for a few years and speaks fluently Italian.
Italian Classical Music
Italy: cradle of Classical music When we speak about classical music, we truly speak about centuries and centuries of western musical creation. The adjective is, by definition, associated to music rooted in the Western cultural heritage, and composed between the 11th and the 20th century. Both profane and sacred music composed and performed in […]
Italian Traditional Music, Where It All Began
The multi-cultural origins of Italian traditional and popular music. Italy is a young country, after all. It only unified in 1861, a century and a half ago. We are used to consider pre-unification Italy as a political melting pot of states and principalities, often ruled over by foreign powers. What we […]