Naples celebrates Calabria with Cilea tribute and CalabroPartenopi Award

The Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella in Naples hosted a major cultural event on October 24, 2026, to commemorate the 160th anniversary of composer Francesco Cilea's birth. The celebration highlighted the historical and cultural ties between Calabria and Naples through a series of musical and academic proceedings.

The event featured a concert by the Orchestra Filarmonica della Calabria, conducted by Filippo Arlia, with soloists Francesco Mariozzi and Sergio Messina. The program focused on Cilea's instrumental works alongside his famous operatic repertoire, such as ‘L’Arlesiana’ and ‘Adriana Lecouvreur’.

In addition to the musical performances, an international forum titled ‘Francesco Cilea e i calabresi a Napoli: una lunga tradizione’ examined the long-standing influence of Calabrian figures on Neapolitan music, art, and institutions. The day also marked the debut of the ‘CalabroPartenopi – La storia che viene da lontano’ project, created by journalists Roberto Messina and Carmelo Lentino.

The inaugural CalabroPartenopi Award was presented to several recipients, including Cardinal Domenico Battaglia for his pastoral commitment, the City of Palmi, and musicians Sergio Messina and Fausto Castiglione.