A celebration of the timeless beauty of Neapolitan songs, Tribute to Naples: Songs of Eternal Passion takes audiences on a journey through the heart and soul of Naples. Presented by Teatro Grattacielo & Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy, this special concert honors the rich musical tradition that has captivated listeners for generations.

From the sunlit streets of Naples to the immigrant communities of New York, Neapolitan songs have represented a profound connection to the homeland. For early Italian immigrants, these melodies were not just musical expressions, but heartfelt testimonies of their culture, memories, and emotions. Through these timeless songs, they carried a piece of their identity, shaping the cultural life of Little Italies and enriching the musical landscape of the city.

This program brings together iconic melodies and heartfelt performances, featuring a stellar cast of singers joined by the renowned mandolin-guitar duo from Naples, Mammola-Brandi.

Join us for an unforgettable evening where music, history, and passion unite!

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Una celebrazione della bellezza senza tempo delle canzoni napoletane, Tributo a Napoli: Canzoni di Passione Eternaporterà il pubblico in un viaggio attraverso il cuore e l’anima di Napoli. Presentato da Teatro Grattacielo & Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy, questo concerto speciale rende omaggio alla ricca tradizione musicale che ha affascinato generazioni di ascoltatori.

Dalle strade assolate di Napoli alle comunità di immigrati italiani a New York, le canzoni napoletane hanno rappresentato un legame profondo con la terra d’origine. Per i primi immigrati italiani, questi brani non erano solo espressioni musicali, ma vere e proprie testimonianze della loro cultura, dei loro ricordi e delle loro emozioni. Attraverso queste melodie intramontabili, hanno portato con sé un pezzo della loro identità, contribuendo a definire la vita culturale delle Little Italies e ad arricchire il panorama musicale della città.

Questo programma riunisce melodie iconiche ed esecuzioni appassionate, con un cast straordinario di cantanti accompagnati dal celebre duo mandolino-chitarra di Napoli, Mammola-Brandi.

Unisciti a noi per una serata indimenticabile in cui musica, storia e passione si uniscono!

“Tribute to Napoli” Draws Crowd, Applause in New York by Davide Mammone

Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy and Teatro Grattacielo’s concert event at the Columbus Citizens Foundation celebrated the rich musical traditions of Naples in New York

The Columbus Citizens Foundation was filled with music and vibrant cultural pride earlier this month, as Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy presented “Tribute to Napoli: Songs of Eternal Passion.” The concert, a celebration of Neapolitan musical heritage, drew a packed house and left audiences visibly moved.

The July 15 event featured a standout lineup of emerging opera talent: soprano Maia Gonzalez, mezzo-soprano Eugenia Forteza, tenor Pedro Barrera, and bass-baritone Henry Hyunsoon Kim. Accompanied by an authentic Neapolitan mandolin and guitar duo – Claudio Brandi and Lorenzo Mammola, flown in from Italy – the performers delivered a heartfelt program of traditional Neapolitan songs, each piece met with enthusiastic applause.

For the evening’s organizers, the success was hard-won. Italian opera - and the Neapolitan repertoire, particularly – is facing growing challenges in the U.S. cultural landscape, often sidelined in favor of more mainstream classical or commercial genres. For this reason, the event stood out even more as a key opportunity to tout Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi’s broader cultural mission to restore the role of Opera and Italian music in the U.S.

“This concert was not just about music: it was about identity, memory, and community,” according to Enzo Pizzimenti, Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy Founder and chair of Teatro Grattacielo. “Reviving the Neapolitan tradition in a city like New York is both a challenge and a joy. Nights like this remind us that our heritage still resonates deeply, and it deserves to be heard, shared, and celebrated.”

Neapolitan music has always lived close to people’s hearts, “but it’s rarely given the platform it deserves,” added Stefanos Koroneos, Teatro Grattacielo’s artistic director. “This concert was about bringing it back into the light, not as nostalgia, but as something very alive indeed.”

The concert took place in the refined setting of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, a Manhattan institution dedicated to preserving and promoting Italian American culture. Its support proved essential for the concert’s success as the foundation provided both an elegant venue and a committed audience base.

The evening was graciously hosted by Emilia Nuccio, a prominent Italian American figure and a senior executive in the distribution of television content worldwide. With warmth and poise, she guided the audience through the program, sharing personal reflections that underscored the evening’s emotional depth.

Nuccio spoke movingly of her own Italian roots and the enduring place Neapolitan music holds in her life. “This music is part of who I am,” she said. “My family came here from Italy, and through songs like these, they taught me the meaning of beauty, resilience and joy.”

Nuccio’s presence added a personal layer to the performance, bridging generations and reminding the audience that these melodies - once sung in kitchens, on stoops, and in community halls - carry stories of immigration, love and identity.

The atmosphere was warm, informal, and genuine – more reminiscent of a family gathering than a formal recital. Audience members, many of Italian descent, praised the event for its authenticity and emotional impact. “I haven’t heard some of these songs since I was a child,” said one attendee. “It was like being back in my grandmother’s kitchen.”

The concert also highlighted the ongoing efforts by Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi to bring rarely heard Italian works and regional musical traditions to the forefront. Known for reviving neglected operas from the verismo period, the company has been expanding its mission in recent years to include broader educational and cultural programming - often aimed at younger and more diverse audiences.

After the final scheduled piece, cries of “Bis!” and even “Tris!” rang through the hall. The performers returned not once, but twice, answering with additional songs that only deepened the connection between stage and audience. The final number, a rousing rendition of “O surdato’nnammurato”, commonly known by its iconic lyric “Oje vita, oje vita mia” became a collective moment. Many in the crowd stood and joined in, their voices rising in unison with the performers.

While Italian opera still commands global respect, its lesser-known traditions, particularly those rooted in Naples, struggle to gain visibility, especially in the U.S. Events like Tribute to Napolioffered a glimpse of what is possible when art and heritage cobble together with institutional support.

“This was more than a concert,” said Pizzimenti. “It was a statement: that this music matters, that it still speaks to people, and that there is an audience hungry for it.”