Music of Mediterranean Countries

The ensemble La Cantiga de la Serena from Italy opens up a musical map of the ancient cultures of the Mediterranean—a route along which people, languages, legends, and songs have traveled for centuries. Combining instruments from diverse traditions with improvisational freedom, the ensemble creates a sound that is contemporary yet deeply rooted in history.

The program weaves together melodies from the regions of Apulia, Salento, and Calabria, the dance-infused rhythms of tarantellas and pizzicas, and the extraordinarily tender Sephardic cantigas (songs) that preserve the cultural heritage brought from the Jewish diaspora of Spain. This is music in which one can hear the monotonous breathing of the waves, dances echoing in town squares, the sorrow of women’s songs, and the longing of travelers. All of this is brought to life by flutist and harpist Giorgio Santoro, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Fabrizio Piepoli, and guitar master Adolfo La Volpe.