It’s going around the web and the reason is easy to understand: it’s a video in which Nelson, a 14 year old French boyperforms on television to the tune of “Funiculi Funicula” sung in splendid Neapolitan. Nelson, in fact, is participating in the twelfth season of “Prodigies”a very famous program on France 2 (one of the most well-known transalpine television stations) in which children and young people between the ages of 6 and 16 show their artistic talents.
And so, Nelson appeared on stage fully dressed, in a dark blue three-piece suit, and enchanted the judges and the public – both in the studio, at home and on social media – with the famous piece of the Neapolitan singing tradition. The video of Nelson’s performance was promptly shared on the French broadcaster’s social channels, receiving hundreds of thousands of views.
@france.tv Nelson, 14 years old, impressive with his voice ???? The young singer amazed the jury by covering “Funiculì funiculà” by Luigi Denza. Will he qualify for the Prodiges final? ???? Watch the first semi-final of Prodiges this Thursday, December 18 on france.tv and on France 2 (link in bio ????) For this new season, we find Faustine Bollaert and our exceptional jury: the choreographer and star dancer Marie-Claude Pietragalla, the famous cellist Gautier Capuçon, and Julie Fuchs, the soprano with three Victoires de la classical music. This year, 24 young talents will perform in two semi-finals. For the grand finale, there will only be 12 left. Aged from 6 to 16 years old, these classical virtuosos will perform on stage and show the jury as well as the public their talent in singing, dancing and playing a musical instrument. #Prodigies #Nelson #OnRegardeQuoi #FranceTV
♬ son original – France.tv
The story of “Funiculì Funiculà”, one of the most famous Neapolitan songs
Although it may seem like a very distant song, especially for a 14-year-old French boy, “Funiculì Funiculà” is one of the best-known Neapolitan songs and has contributed to spreading the Neapolitan musical tradition throughout the world. The song was created in 1880: the lyrics are by the journalist Giuseppe Turcowhile the music is by the maestro Luigi Denza. The song was inspired by the inauguration the previous year, in 1879, of the Vesuvius funicular with which, as the name suggests, it was possible to reach the Neapolitan volcano; the text, in fact, illustrates the advantages of the new means of transport for citizens and tourists.
