The 'Commendatore'.

Our most famous ancestor.

Salvatore Papaccio and Naples: the music, the opera and the theater

S

alvatore Papaccio is without a doubt our most prestigious and representative relative.


Singer of a certain success from 20's of last century, he is remembered together with other famous singers Gennaro Pasquariello and Vittorio Parisi as "3 P" of "Canzone Napoletana". In the picture on the right they are together with Ciro Formisano and Nino Taranto.

His most famous songs are:

Quatto stelle, Suonno d'artista, 'A risa, Silenzio cantatore, 'Ndifferenza, Guappo songh'io, Gennarino Buonocore, Brinneso, Marenaro traduto, 'O varcaiuolo, 'A zingara, Napule e Maria, Varca Napulitana, and many others as well...

Illustrious nephew of art, is the Maestro Sergio Rendine, graduated in composition at the Conservatory of S. Cecilia in Rome and considered among the most important composers of our time.

  Here is what Mario Rossi wrote:

"An evening, in the Parish of Borgo Loreto, the voice of a nine years old child, gave colour and life to the "Tantum ergo" astounding the organista parish priest and the mass of the faithfuls. That child was Salvatore Papaccio. He was born in June 23rd 1890 in a house of via Madonna delle Grazie in Borgo Loreto. After few years the voice changed, strengthening. There was also the necessity of the job, done with the comfort of the passion for the song. This passion, when he was very young, transformed him, on the scenes of the S. Carlo, in the sailor of the "Tristano and Isotta". And so his career began; the Tenore Salvatore Papaccio was born. The Lirica, that took him, will possess him for all his own artistic life, finding him as a performer of 123 works, from the Otello to Andrea Chenier. In his city, in his house that it is full of a past time and of his successes, as a proof, the "diploma di Benemerenza" given him by Ente Autonomo San Carlo in 1963, after 56 years of artistic life. That certificate is placed between the photos with affectionate dedications of Caruso, Gigli, Maestro Zandonai, that always preferred him, and of Maestro Mascagni that, and this was the only time, wanted to sing the Hymn of the Workers in public with Salvatore Papaccio. The visit of Hirohito in Italy determined a decisive turning point in the artistic career of Salvatore Papaccio. At the reception of the admiralty, in honour to the heir of the throne of the Celestial Empire, Papaccio, suddenly, felt himself as the only authentic son of Naples and sang the songs of his city. It was a triumph! The "Eden", with the fabulous wage for those times of 500 Liras per evening, hurried up to engage him, risking bankruptcy. It was necessary, instead, to put more seats in order to satisfy the great audience! Beside the tenor, therefore, when the lyric season ended, a piece of the heart of Naples was placed. If today, in a recording room, you listen to "Varca napulitana" or "Sogno di un artista" you have no doubts: at 82 years, with pride and juvenile aspect, Papaccio is singing, always him! "Naples belongs to me" he uses to say, and he does not know that he belongs to Naples, since a lot of time. Since the songs that he sang, after 24 hours, were sung from the people that have always crowded the roads of Naples. His life has been a delicate embroidery executed with two single colours: white and black, and after, joys and pains are alternated deeply inside him. Today his pride is living through the written testimony of his relative: "At the pianoforte is Maestro Furio Rendine, famous composer, son-in-law of Salvatore Papaccio. With his participation, he has meant to give a right homage to the great artist and bring to him his filial affection "."