The Festival della Canzone Napoletana ("Festival of Neapolitan Song"), commonly known as the Festival di Napoli, is a

Neapolitan song Canzone napoletana (), sometimes referred to as Neapolitan song ( nap, canzona napulitana ), is a generic term for a traditional form of music sung in the Neapolitan language, ordinarily for the male voice singing solo, although well represented b ...

contest. The first edition was held in 1952 and the last in 2004. From 1952 to 1970 the show was broadcast on

RAI RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...

and from 1998 to 2004, in a differently spirited version, by

Rete 4 Rete 4 (in English Network 4) is an Italian free-to-air television channel operated by Mediaset Italia and owned by MFE - MediaForEurope. Presently the director is Sebastiano Lombardi. Programs TV Programmes (currently) Rete 4's streng ...

History

A symbol of

of the second half of the twentieth century, the Festival della Canzone Napoletana was born in Naples in 1952, the year following the birth of the

Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annua ...

. Among the protagonists of the Festival from 1952 to 1970 would be such Neapolitan singers as

Sergio Bruni Sergio Bruni (stage name of Guglielmo Chianese, 15 September 1921 – 22 June 2003) was a popular Italian singer, guitarist, and songwriter. He was often called "The Voice of Naples". He was born in the commune of Villaricca, near Naples, Italy ...

Aurelio Fierro Aurelio Fierro (13 September 1923 – 11 March 2005) was a successful Italian actor and singer who specialized in songs in the Neapolitan dialect. Career He was born in Montella, in the Province of Avellino, Italy. His singing career bega ...

Nunzio Gallo Nunzio Gallo (25 March 1928 – 22 February 2008) was an Italian singer. He was born in Naples and represented his country in the 1957 Eurovision Song Contest, coming 6th. The song he performed, "Corde Della Mia Chitarra", is famous for being the ...

, Maria Paris,

Giacomo Rondinella Giacomo Rondinella (30 August 1923 – 25 February 2015) was an Italian singer and actor. Life and career Born in Messina, the son of a couple of Neapolitan actors and singers, Rondinella started his career as a singer after World War II, follo ...

, Mario Abbate,

Gloria Christian Gloria Christian (born 24 June 1934) is an Italian Canzone Napoletana singer, mainly successful between the second half of the 1950s and the 1960s. Life and career Born in Bologna, the daughter of a Neapoletan trumpeter and of a Venetian mother, ...

, Mario Trevi,

Fausto Cigliano Fausto Cigliano (15 February 1937 – 17 February 2022) was an Italian singer, guitarist, and actor. Life and career Born in Naples into a humble family, Cigliano approached the music at young age, after having received a guitar as a gift, and ...

, Franco Ricci,

Mirna Doris Mirna Doris (28 September 1940 – 27 March 2020) was an Italian Canzone Napoletana singer, mainly successful in the second half of the 1960s. Life and career Born Annunziata Chiarelli, in Naples, after studying singing Doris started performing i ...

, Tony Astarita, Mario Merola, Enzo Del Forno,

Peppino di Capri Peppino di Capri (born Giuseppe Faiella on 27 July 1939) is an Italian popular music singer, songwriter and pianist, successful in Italy and Europe. His international hits include "St. Tropez Twist", "Daniela", "Torna piccina", "Roberta", "Melanco ...

Gianni Nazzaro Gianni Nazzaro (27 October 1948 – 27 July 2021) was an Italian singer and actor. Background Born in Naples, Nazzaro started his career with the stage name of Buddy, recording 59 singles, mainly cover songs, between 1965 and 1968. In 1968 Naz ...

Nino Fiore Nino or Niño may refer to: * Nino (name) * Niño (name) *Antonin Scalia, American Supreme Court justice whose nickname was "Nino" *El Niño, a climate pattern in the tropical Pacific Ocean *NINO, an abbreviation for National Insurance number in t ...

Gegè Di Giacomo Gennaro Di Giacomo (1918–2005) was an Italian drummer and singer. Biography Nephew of the poet Salvatore Di Giacomo Salvatore Di Giacomo (12 March 1860 – 5 April 1934) was an Italian poet, songwriter, playwright and fascist, one of ...

Tullio Pane Tullio Pane (16 June 1930 in Naples – 3 October 2001 in Civitavecchia) was an Italian singer. In 1955 he won the Sanremo Music Festival in partnership with Claudio Villa Claudio Villa (born Claudio Pica; 1 January 1926 – 7 February 1987) w ...

Peppino Gagliardi Peppino Gagliardi (born 25 May 1940) is an Italian singer. Gagliardi was born in Naples. His first hit in Italy came in 1963 with "T'amo e t'amerò". In 1970, he had another big hit with the song, Settembre, and more hits followed in the early ...

Giulietta Sacco Giulietta may refer to: *Giulietta Masina – Italian actress. *Alfa Romeo Giulietta – Alfa Romeo's various anniversary cars. *Giulietta (singer) - Australian pop singer. See also *Romeo and Juliet (disambiguation) *Juliette (disambiguation) *Ju ...

. They would be joined by such singers from the

Sanremo Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just (), is the most popular Italian song contest and awards ceremony, held annually in the city of Sanremo, Liguria. It is the longest-running annual ...

, as Carla Boni,

Wilma De Angelis Wilma De Angelis (; born 8 April 1930) is a popular Italian singer and TV presenter. She is also very famous for her talk show ''A pranzo con Wilma'', and her cooking abilities. She hosted the cooking show ''Telemenù'' from 1978 through 1987 on ...

Domenico Modugno Domenico Modugno (; 9 January 1928 – 6 August 1994) was an Italian singer, actor and, later in life, a member of the Italian Parliament. He is known for his 1958 international hit song " Nel blu dipinto di blu", for which he received Grammy ...

, Ornella Vanoni,

Claudio Villa Claudio Villa (born Claudio Pica; 1 January 1926 – 7 February 1987) was an Italian singer and actor. Biography Tenor Claudio Villa was born Claudio Pica in the Trastevere quarter of Rome in 1926. He recorded over 3000 songs, sold 45 million ...

Don Backy Don Backy (real name Aldo Caponi; born 21 August 1939) is an Italian singer, songwriter and actor. He collaborated with Sofia Rotaru for "Grey Bird" – Ukrainian version of Italian song "L'immensità"— "Сизокрилий птах". Selecte ...

, Giorgio Gaber, ,

Fred Bongusto Alfredo Antonio Carlo Buongusto (6 April 1935 – 8 November 2019), known by his stage name Fred Bongusto, was an Italian light music singer, songwriter and composer who was very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. Career history Bongusto was born ...

, Nilla Pizzi, Oscar Carboni, Betty Curtis, Giorgio Consolini,

Tony Dallara Antonio Lardera (born 30 June 1936), better known by his stage name Tony Dallara, is an Italian former singer, actor and television personality. Biography Dallara was born in Campobasso in southern Italy, but grew up in Milan. After working as ba ...

, Jula De Palma, Johnny Dorelli, Equipe 84, Louiselle, Los Marcellos Ferial, Marino Marini,

Miranda Martino Miranda Martino (born 29 October 1933) is an Italian singer and actress. Life and career Born in Moggio Udinese from Neapolitan parents, Martino started her career as singer in 1956. In 1957, she debuted at the Festival di Napoli and in 1959 ...

Milva Maria Ilva Biolcati, (; 17 July 1939 – 23 April 2021), known as Milva (), was an Italian singer, stage and film actress, and television personality. She was also known as ''La Rossa'' (Italian for "The Redhead"), due to the characteristic co ...

Gino Latilla Gennaro "Gino" Latilla (7 November 1924, Bari – 11 September 2011, Florence) was an Italian singer. In 1954 he won the Sanremo Music Festival The Sanremo Music Festival, officially the Italian Song Festival () and commonly known as just ...

Anna Identici Anna Identici (born 30 July 1947) is an Italian pop/ folk singer and television personality. Life and career Born in Castelleone, Cremona, the daughter of an employee of the Ferrovie dello Stato, Identici started singing as a child, participat ...

Wilma Goich Wilma Goich (; born 16 October 1945) is an Italian pop singer and television personality. Career Born in Cairo Montenotte, Savona, Goich began her career in 1964, when she released her first single "Dopo il sole pioverà". She scored two do ...

, I Giganti, Luciano Tajoli,

Teo Teocoli Antonio "Teo" Teocoli (born 25 February 1945) is an Italian actor, TV conductor, singer and writer appearing in about 30 mostly Italian productions since 1975. Selected filmography * ''Paolo e Francesca'' (1971) * '' The Boss and the Worke ...

Achille Togliani Achille Togliani (16 January 1924 in Pomponesco, province of Mantua – 12 August 1995) was an Italian singer and actor. He was a participant in the first Sanremo Music Festival in 1951. Achille's version of the song 'Parlami d'amore Mari� ...

, Iva Zanicchi,

Carmen Villani Carmen Villani (born 21 May 1944) is a former Italian pop singer. She had a recognisable voice and an outstanding musical sense. Villani was a versatile performer, featuring elements of gospel and blues. She is considered among the finest examp ...

, Luciano Virgili, Narciso Parigi, Katyna Ranieri,

Flo Sandon's Mammola Sandon, known by the stage name of Flo Sandon's (29 June 1924 – 17 November 2006), was an Italian singer who was popular in the post-World War II years. She won the Sanremo Music Festival in 1953 with the song " Viale d'autunno". Ca ...

Lara Saint Paul Silvana Savorelli (30 April 1945 – 8 May 2018), professionally known as Lara Saint Paul, was an Italian Eritrean singer, entertainer, impresario and record producer. Sanremo Music Festival Saint Paul's first public performance was in 1962 at ...

Memo Remigi Memo Remigi (born Emidio Remigi, 27 May 1938) is an Italian singer-songwriter, composer and television personality. Born in Erba, Como, during his studies Remigi played piano in various groups. He debuted as a singer in 1963 winning the Liegi So ...

, Dean Reed,

Anna German Anna Wiktoria German-Tucholska (14 February 1936 – 26 August 1982) was a Polish singer, immensely popular in Poland and in the Soviet Union in the 1960s–1970s. She released over a dozen music albums with songs in Polish, as well as several ...

, Mei Lang Chang, Nini Rosso, Robertino,

Teddy Reno Teddy Reno (born 11 July 1926) is an Italian singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. Life and career Born in Trieste as Ferruccio Merk Ricordi, Reno made his debut on Radio Trieste during the Anglo-American administration of the city, la ...

and authors as

Franco Franchi Franco Franchi (born Francesco Benenato; 18 September 1928 – 9 December 1992) was an Italian actor, comedian and singer. He was born in Palermo, Sicily and began his career in the 1950s, although his career only really took off in the 1960s. ...

Oreste Lionello Oreste Lionello (18 April 1927 – 19 February 2009) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Biography Lionello was born in Rhodes (which was then a possession of Italy), to Calabrian parents, and grew up in Reggio Calabria. He began his career a ...

Nino Taranto Nino Taranto (28 August 1907 – 23 February 1986) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1924 and 1971. Life and career Born in Naples, Taranto started his career as a child actor in 1918 starring in some loca ...

Renato Rascel Renato Rascel (), stage name of Renato Ranucci (; 27 April 1912 – 2 January 1991), was an Italian film actor and singer. He appeared in 50 films between 1942 and 1972. He represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960 with the s ...

, Ombretta Colli, Lando Fiorini,

Beniamino Maggio Beniamino Maggio (10 August 1907 - 6 September 1990) was an Italian actor. Born in Naples into a family of actors, Maggio debuted on stage as a child, as the sidekick of the comedian Serafino Mastracchio, and he slowly built a reputation in t ...

, and Angela Luce. As presenters the festival would see, over the years, such people as

Nunzio Filogamo Nunzio Filogamo (20 September 1902 – 24 January 2002) was an Italian television and radio presenter, actor and singer. Life and career Born in Palermo, Filogamo moved to Turin at a young age, then he studied law at the Sorbonne University ...

Enzo Tortora Enzo Tortora (30 November 1928 – 18 May 1988) was an Italian TV host on national RAI television, who was unjustly convicted of being a member of the Camorra and drug trafficking in 1985, and sentenced to 10 years in jail. He was acquitted of a ...

Pippo Baudo Giuseppe Vittorio Raimondo Baudo (born 7 June 1936), known as Pippo Baudo, is one of the most famous Italian television presenters, with a career spanning six decades. He is often nicknamed "Superpippo" (referencing the Italian name of Super Go ...

, Mike Bongiorno, Corrado, Daniele Piombi. Interrupted in 1971, after many organizational efforts it returned to the city in 1981, taking the name "Festival di Napoli '81". The show, divided into three nights and organized by DAN with the help from

and the patronage of the Campania Region, was presented by Franco Sulfites, assisted by Maria Laura Soldano, and broadcast in full color from the Metropolitan Theatre of Naples on the television channel Rai Tre from 22.30 until the end. It was also broadcast on the radio on Rai's second station from 22.45. After that edition, the Festival, once again, was interrupted for a long period of time. In 1998 it returned, though with a different spirit and different results, on

and was held regularly until 2004, when it ceased again.''Enciclopedia del Festival della canzone napoletana 1952-1981'' di Antonio Sciotti (Ed. Luca Torre), 2011

Winners

Notes

Note 1: In 1953, the Festival was not held because it was initially designed to be biennial (every other year), but the Organization later reconsidered. Note 2: In

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses ( February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events J ...

, the Festival was not held because it was suspended by

References

External links

{{authority control Traditional music Music in Naples Music festivals in Italy Music festivals established in 1952 Pop music festivals