Napoli, – A wave of emotion has overwhelmed the Teatro Diana yesterday evening, on the occasion of the fourth edition of the Umberto Bellissimo Award, an event that has now established itself as an unmissable event in the Neapolitan cultural panorama.
Born from the pain and love of Paola De Marco Bellissimo, widow of the unforgettable artist, the Award is today a living celebration of memory, passionately supported by the Association "Umberto Bellissimo", led by maestro Gianni Conte and a committee that includes Giuseppe Giorgio, Rosaria De Cicco, Adele Monaco, Antonella Morea and Carlo Piedepalumbo.
Under the aegis of the Mirra family, the historic custodians of the Diana, the theater has been transformed into a temple of beauty, paying homage not only to the figure of Umberto Bellissimo – an artist capable of combining elegance, truth and lightness – but also to those who, today, embody his spirit.
The prestigious works created by the master Salvatore Oliva were collected by:
Bruno Garofalo, visionary director and set designer, awarded with the “Speciale Umberto Bellissimo”;
Adriano Falivene, a multifaceted talent of contemporary theatre;
Patrizio Trampetti, poetic voice of Neapolitan music, awarded for “Musical Theatre”;
Nunzia Schiano, beloved actress, awarded as “Best Cinema and Theater Actress”.
The evening was hosted by journalist and theatre critic Giuseppe Giorgio, flanked by the brilliant Mirea Flavia Stellato, actress and journalist. Among the guests who paid homage to Bellissimo:
Gianni Conte, voice of the New Italian Orchestra;
Barbara Buonaiuto, with her singing intensity;
Pino De Maio, Rosaria De Cicco, Stefano Cortese, Romeo Barbaro, Matteo Mauriello, Gennaro Venditto and the scholar Antonia Lezza.
In the audience, well-known faces such as Giovanni Mauriello, Gianni Averardi and Antonio Sinagra, testifying to an indissoluble bond with the great Neapolitan artistic tradition.
Umberto Bellissimo was a giant of the scene: from the theater (with Eduardo, Luca and Luigi De Filippo) to the cinema (“Mi manda Picone”, Moretti, Salemme), from TV (“La squadra”, “Orgoglio”) to music (“Bellissimo… canto a Viviani”). Unforgettable is his interpretation of Sarchiapone in “La Cantata dei Pastori” by Peppe Barra, where comedy and sacredness merged in a unique alchemy.
The Diana is not a simple commemorative event, but an act of cultural resistance. Every year, this evening lights a flame that illuminates the present, reminding everyone that theater, cinema and music are places of the soul. And that authentic beauty, like the art of Umberto Bellissimo, never dies.
Article published on 9 June 2025 - 15:26
It was a very nice and meaningful event, but I noticed that maybe some information about the past of the award was missing. The awardees were also interesting, but I don't know if all of them received the right attention.