Naples – The Vesuvian Villas Festival kicks off with an intense week of events, from July 9th to 13th, transforming Villa Campolieto in Ercolano and Villa Vannucchi in San Giorgio a Cremano into open-air stages, celebrating the intersection of tradition and artistic experimentation.
The production kicks off on Wednesday, July 9th at Villa Campolieto with Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, translated by Gianni Garrera and directed by Luca De Fusco. A tragedy reinterpreted as a psychological investigation, Eros Lazzareschi plays a solemn Oedipus and Tiresias, alongside Manuela Mandracchia's powerful Jocasta.
On the same day, Villa Vannucchi pays tribute to Pino Daniele with Pino Daniele Opera, an orchestral project conducted by maestro Paolo Raffone, featuring vocals by Michele Simonelli and musicians of the caliber of Rosario Iermano and Ernesto Vitolo, who reinterpret the Neapolitan singer-songwriter's songs in a symphonic key.
On Thursday, July 10, Oedipus Rex returns to the stage at Villa Campolieto , while Villa Vannucchi hosts Peter and the Wolf in jazz, with Francesco Paolantoni and a group of nine musicians, including Andrea Rea and Daniele Sorrentino, who transform Prokofiev's musical tale into a vibrant mix of swing, Latin, and rock, conceived by Igor Caiazza. On Friday, July 11, at 19:30 pm, Villa Campolieto hosts Cunt atto by Massimo Andrei, a journey into the oral tradition of Campania with Eduarda Iscaro, Melania Pellino, Francesca Morgante, and Carmine Bassolillo.
The show, steeped in irony and dialect, brings the popular "cunto" back to life, narrating the essence of the South. On Saturday, July 12, again at Villa Campolieto, Simona Molinari performs with the Magna Grecia Orchestra, conducted by Pino Romano.
The concert ranges from international standards like "Puttin' on the Ritz" to classics like "Caruso," and even the singer's hits ("Davanti al mare," "Egocentrica"), in a performance that combines elegance and emotion. The week concludes on Sunday, July 13th at Villa Campolieto. At 19:30 PM, "Infinito Petito – Tre surice dint' a no mastrillo," directed by Riccardo Citro, pays homage to Antonio Petito with a Pulcinella that ironically reflects contemporary society.
At 20:30 PM, Che suonno, a dance performance by the Fit&Dance company created by Nello Longobardi, concludes the program with dreamlike choreography and live music, celebrating the evocative power of dreams. The Festival delle Ville Vesuviana confirms itself as an unmissable event, intertwining past and present in a cultural dialogue of rare intensity.
This article talks about a festival that seems very interesting, but I'm not sure what the specific events are or whether there are paid tickets. I hope there's more information on these matters.