Naples mourns the loss of Roberto De Simone, an undisputed master of Neapolitan culture and a symbolic figure of the dialogue between tradition and innovation: the mayor of the city, Gaetano Manfredi, paid homage to his memory by expressing his deepest condolences on behalf of the entire administration.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Maestro Roberto De Simone. Naples loses a cultural reference that has been able to take our city around the world over the decades, combining ancient traditions with an extraordinary innovative attitude”, said Manfredi.
The bond between the Municipality and De Simone has been strong and constant over time, as recalled by the mayor himself: “We were closely linked to De Simone, aware of his artistic greatness. For his 90th birthday, during the New Year's celebrations, in San Domenico Maggiore we dedicated a tribute to him as part of the 'Naples City of Music' project.”
A particularly heartfelt tribute was the concert "Christmas in Naples at the Court of Charles of Bourbon”, produced by the orchestra La Nuova Polifonia directed by Alessandro De Simone, with the choir Ensemble Vocale di Napoli. “A very emotional moment”, Manfredi defines it, underlining the intensity of that experience.
The mayor also announced that the memory of the maestro will be an integral part of future cultural celebrations: "Naples and the municipal administration will remember De Simone as he deserves, for his contribution to Italian and international culture. As part of the celebrations for the 2500th anniversary of the city, we had already planned an exhibition at the Teatro di San Carlo to retrace his production."
Article published on 7 April 2025 - 11:30
It is a great sorrow for Naples and for Italian culture, Roberto De Simone was an important figure. His death leaves a void that will be difficult to fill. We hope that his legacy will be remembered as it deserves.