“The journey that I began a few years ago which has the ambition of reconstructing the past and present of “Music in Benevento” and its “Protagonists” continues to be enriched with testimonies of great prestige, true talents that embellish with their art the world of the “seven notes”, a source of pride for the “Samnite caldera” which continues to surprise me as in the case of the talented guest of this further page of the research that I carry out with love and passion.
I am talking about the Samnite Master Erasmo Petringa who I found again after quite a few years after some beautiful conversations and exchanges of opinions at the time of the “White Night” organized in San Giorgio del Sannio by the late Mayor Claudio Ricci who had appreciated his value by entrusting the artistic direction goes to maestro Petringa. Maestro Enrico Salzano writes it – author of the column Musica a Benevento – I Protogonisti published every Monday in the columns of IL SANNO QUOTIDIANO.
Musician Composer, multi-instrumentalist, conductor, native of Airola. The friend Erasmo was formedmusically in the golden age of Italian rock, later graduating in double bass with top marks at the highly regarded Conservatory of Naples “San Pietro a Majella. Subsequently he transferred the double bass technique of pizzicato to the cello. He then dedicated himself to the study of popular music, passing through characteristic instruments such as the mandoloncello, the battente guitar and the calascione, until he went deep into the territories of Mediterranean music with the Oud, a typical instrument of Arab culture.
Maestro Petringa defines himself as a “virtuoso” who, thanks to the most advanced technological aids, manages to express himself in public by occupying the stage alone. In his valid artistic career he boasts the direction of the orchestra at the 58th Sanremo Festival on the occasion ofthe performance of the song “Grande Sud” by Eugenio Bennato.
Maestro Petringa tells me that he also had first-level “theatrical” experiences having shared the stage with the great Dario Fo. The same goes for “television”, the jewel in the crown: a performance with Ray Charles in “Blitz” by Gianni Minà.
Scrolling through his prestigious CV, the collaborations cannot fail to be highlighted with Peppe and Concetta Barra, Edoardo and Eugenio Bennato, Enzo Gragnaniello, Gigi D’Alessio and Claudio Baglioni.
For some years he has been carrying out a popular music project, “Mediterranea Sound”, which is attracting great interest. Not least therecollaboration for the show “VASAME” with Enzo Gragnaniello and Marisa Laurito.
In the pleasant and interesting chat, Maestro Petringa also talks to me about another theater show with Enzo Gragnaniello entitled NEAPOLIS MANTRA for which he took care of the string arrangement. The summer tour will be made official in the next few days.
The collaboration with Eugenio Bennato remains active and solid for new recording works that follow those of 2022 where he was called to take care of the recordings and arrangements of Pietra Montecorvino’s album entitled Sole e Luna.
But before saying goodbye, Maestro Erasmo Petringa speaks to me with great pride about the fascinating and excellent project “Sabir” where which talks about integration. The music composed and played live by the Samnite musician conveys a Mediterranean atmosphere from the first notes of the oud, one of the most widespread string instruments in Middle Eastern culture. Music and dance become one with the latest creation by the Italian-African choreographer Mvula Sungani, who uses the evocative language of art to tell the journey of men and women forced to face the sea to escape wars and famines.
Enrico Salzano – author of the column Musica a Benevento – I Protogonisti published every Monday in the columns of IL SANNO QUOTIDIANO.
