It was 2008, June 30th to be exact, when for the first time Teresa Salgueiro and the Solis String Quartet staged their «Canti naviganti»: «They had invited us to perform for the fourth birthday of the Historical Archive of Neapolitan Song. It was an honor, but also and above all an experiment, a first time, but if we are still here, it means that it wasn’t a gamble”, says the singer, 55 years old, at the time just out of twenty years with Madredeus, the group which gave her fame. We will see her again this evening with the Phlegraean string group at the Trianon, for the exhibition «The world stops in Naples», strongly supported by Marisa Laurito.
As then, yours is a sort of twinning, Teresa, between Naples and Lisbon. What really unites them?
«They are cities of the sea and of songs, cities that tell their stories in songs, undress, make love with their hearts and bodies, bring joy and pain. I believe that what unites us is the relationship with our roots, the passion for that simple and democratic art that is song, the attraction for popular poetry, the ability to delve deeper into feelings and emotions, to share them with others. Our people are used to singing what they carry in their hearts, rather than keeping it inside.”
In addition to the violins of Vincenzo Di Donna and Luigi De Maio, the viola of Gerardo Morrone and the cello of Antonio Di Francia, he will have the percussion of Rui Lobato at his side. What materials will you frequent?
«The Solis arrangements will be the bridge that unites the two worlds, the two songs. From Portugal I brought the singing of fado, but not only, with titles such as “Solidao”, “Mi madre velida”, “Barco negro”. He sang them together with Neapolitan classics such as “Era de maggio”, “Napulitanata”, “Uocchie c’arraggiunate”, but we are still trying. And we don’t stop here, tomorrow we will be in Cascina, other dates are planned for the summer.”
Already the legend Amalia Rodrigues sang the Neapolitan classics, then Misia also arrived…
«We talk about “Sailing Songs” because our songs have traveled the world on ships, they left from the ports like the emigrants, with the emigrants. Amalia is a legend and even her album of Neapolitan songs is like a university textbook for all of us.”
Fado sings destiny, Neapolitan song often opposes it.
«Fado really means “destiny”, a destiny from which one cannot escape, but singing it is already a liberation. Today we say singing about fate, destiny, before we used to say singing about fate, about destiny. Here, let’s take the immense Amalia again: imagine her while she gets up and sings what she has in her soul, she sings it to her destiny. Life belongs to the people, that song is the voice of the people, it is liberation from suffering, from the toil of work, but also a smile, a celebration of life, of love, and tears, and regret, and saudade, of course.”
Who is your favorite Neapolitan singer?
«Roberto Murolo, with voice and guitar, told you about his city, his people. It is no coincidence that the great Rodrigues, always herself, met him on stage and on her record.”
