Neapolitan rhythms

Ars Nova Napoli returns to India with the concerts Neapolis 2500, which celebrates 2,500 years of Naples through folk, fire, and festivity

- Verus Ferreira

After their vibrant performance at Jodhpur RIFF in 2023, the exceptional sextet Ars Nova Napoli returns to India, to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Italian city Naples.

In association with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, the Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Mumbai, Royal Opera House, Mumbai and Avid Learning, they will present the concert Neapolis 2500.

The city of Naples, Italy, has been a bustling urban cultural center, a natural crucible for the arts and sounds of the western world and it surely deserves a celebration, and what better way than with a performance by Ars Nova Napoli, a band that knows its city more than anyone else.

Ars Nova Napoli which was formed in 2009, is composed of exceptional band members each bringing a distinctive voice and instrumental prowess to the group’s signature sound. Featuring Marcello Squillante (Vocals, Accordion), Michelangelo Nusco (Violin, Trumpet, Mandolin), Vincenzo Racioppi (Mandolin, Charango), Gianluca Fusco (Vocals, Guitar, Diatonic Accordion, Gaita), Antonino Anastasia (Frame Drums), and Bruno Belardi (Double Bass), the band offers a high-energy, danceable reinterpretation of a plethora of ancient melodies and contemporary compositions. Today, Ars Nova Napoli is one of the most renowned and cherished bands in the Neapolitan Nu Folk scene, that offers a unique reinterpretation of traditional southern Italian songs alongside original compositions. The band has taken their music to audiences worldwide, participating in events such as the Mosul Traditional Fest - UNESCO in Iraq, Erbil Tradition in Kurdistan, Seoul Music Week, Rajasthan Folk Festival (Jodhpur RIFF), and Foushan China Chic Festival.

At their concert on Wednesday at the Royal Opera House, Mumbai, they promise to bring in the flavours and sounds from southern Italy, music that dives into the folk roots of Campania.