Canzone Napoletana

Canzone Napoletana (Neapolitan song) is a traditional form of music sung in the Neapolitan dialect and originally intended for the male voice singing solo. Some of the most popular Canzone Napoletana are O sole mio, Torna a Surriento and Santa Lucia.

The majority of Neapolitan songs date back from between 1830 and 1920 and were written by Southern Italians. They became world-famous after emigrants from Naples took them with them abroad and sung them reminiscing about their better days living in Naples. Canzone Napoletana were also popularised by Plácido Domingo, who recorded a full CD (Italia ti amo) of traditional and some more modern Neapolitan and Italian songs.

Antonela Malis is also following Domingo’s path… together with world-renowned guitarist Goran Listeš she is currently recording a CD with a selection of serenades, titled Canzone Napolitana. The launch of the CD is expected in autumn 2009.