The songs to finish
'O sole mio and the songs of Naples
Where 'O sole mio and Funiculì, Funiculà came from, who wrote them and why tenor concerts in Rome usually end with songs from Naples.
Reserve seats for the tenors ↗Quick answer
Songs from Naples close many tenor concerts because audiences know them. 'O sole mio dates from 1898, with dialect words by Giovanni Capurro and a melody credited to Eduardo di Capua. Funiculì, Funiculà dates from 1880 and was written for the opening of the first funicular on Mount Vesuvius. Both are sung in the dialect of Naples, and the original Three Tenors typically sang 'O sole mio together.
A tradition of songs, not arias
Opera arias belong to a stage story. The songs of Naples stand alone: short melodies with a refrain, written to be sung in the street, in a café or at a festival, in the dialect of the city and not in the Italian of the libretto. Tenor concerts use them as a change of mood after the arias, and as a way to let the audience join in. Two of them are known far beyond Italy, and they are the songs most likely to be recognised in the room. Both have clear authors and dates, which makes them unusually easy to place.
Funiculì, Funiculà
Luigi Denza composed Funiculì, Funiculà in 1880 in his hometown of Castellammare di Stabia. The words are by the journalist Peppino Turco, who reportedly prompted Denza to write the song, perhaps as a joke. It commemorated the opening of the first funicular on Mount Vesuvius that year. It was first sung at a hotel in Castellammare and then presented at the Piedigrotta festival in 1880, and Casa Ricordi published the sheet music the same year, selling over a million copies within a year. Denza died in 1922, and the song has been in the public domain since 1 January 1993.
'O sole mio
'O sole mio was written in 1898. Giovanni Capurro wrote the lyrics, in the dialect of Naples, and Eduardo di Capua, who lived from 1865 to 1917, is credited with the music, together with Alfredo Mazzucchi. The title means my sun or my sunshine. For nearly 75 years the music was attributed to di Capua alone. The usual story places its composition in Odessa in April 1898, when di Capua was on tour with his father's orchestra. In October 2002 a judge in Turin found that Mazzucchi had rightly co-composed it, because the melody built on one he had sold to di Capua in 1897. The ruling explains why the music is now credited to both men.
Why tenors sing them
Songs like these give a tenor a clear line and a ringing top note to show off. The original Three Tenors typically sang 'O sole mio together, which turned the song into a familiar finale for a tenor concert. Which songs are sung on your date depends on the programme the organiser sets, so no piece is guaranteed. Their voices carry easily in a large room, so a church nave suits the repertoire.
Listening in Rome
The concert at St Paul's Within the Walls pairs opera arias with songs of Naples. Hearing the songs in a church in Rome is a reminder that Italy's music was never one thing: Naples had its own language, its own festivals such as Piedigrotta and its own songs, and one publisher sold over a million copies of a single song within a year. You do not need to know the words to follow them, because the melody carries the feeling, and the refrains are made to be repeated.
Who this isn't for
If you want only opera, the songs of Naples may feel light, since they are shorter and simpler than the arias. If you want a lecture on the history of the songs, a concert will not give you one. And if you hope to hear one specific song, remember that the programme is set by the organiser and can change. The home page links the concert, and the booking page outlines the programme for your date.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote 'O sole mio?
Capurro supplied the dialect words. The melody is credited to di Capua, with Alfredo Mazzucchi recognised as co-composer.
What language are the songs in?
The dialect of Naples. You do not need to understand it to enjoy them.
Sources