Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, Live in Munich

On May 8th, 2011, the festival “World Music Day Italy” took place in the BMW-Welt in Munich. The programme included madrigals, opera, folk-dancing and jazz, commedia dell’arte, readings and lectures. Among the numerous highlights of this day, devoted to all things Italian, were two concerts given by Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare (NCCP) from Naples. The Compagnia has fascinated audiences for four decades, with an ever-evolving cast, in with its traditional tales from past ages. The ensemble has presented the music of their native city of Naples at numerous major festivals in Europe and beyond, from Spoleto to Buenos Aires, Sydney and Tokyo. NCCP has pursued its objective of music-making in the spirit of Southern Italian folk traditions since its establishment in the 1970s and enjoyed an extensive period of cooperation with the composer, musicologist, director and connoisseur of Neapolitan opera, Roberto de Simone. The operatic production of “La Gatta Cenerentola” was for many years one of the undisputed highlights of the ensemble’s musical performances. Today, the Compagnia continues to nurture its passion for the ancient rituals, customs and songs from the folk traditions of Naples, but always open to new inspiration and influences.