Peppino di Capri, the romantic of Italian music, has died
He was 87. He passed away after a long illness
Key points
Peppino di Capri died this morning. Born Giuseppe Faiella, he would have turned 87 on 27 July, having been born in 1939. One of the world’s most beloved Italian artists, he passed away following a long illness. The news was reported by Il Mattino online. A champion of great Italian music and a refined pianist, he is survived by his sons Nico, from his first wife, and Edoardo and Daria, with Giuliana Gagliardi.
Two-time Sanremo winner
His musical talent emerged at a very early age and marked a long and successful career, which also saw him take to the stage at the Sanremo Festival on countless occasions – a festival he won twice. A career that had already reached its peak in the 1960s, marked by such great hits as ‘Champagne’, ‘E mo e mo’, ‘Roberta’, ‘Let’s Twist Again’ and ‘St. Tropez Twist’. In 2018, he celebrated 60 years in the business on stage at the Teatro di San Carlo. As he approached his 80th birthday, he had lost his beloved wife Giuliana, and nothing had ever been the same since.
He has revitalised Neapolitan song
A rare example of artistic longevity that spans styles and generations, his gentle rock revolution from the late 1950s revitalised Neapolitan song, making it ‘cool’. With an unmistakable vocal timbre that evokes the charm of the ‘blue island’, the magic of summer, his loves and a romantic ‘Caprian moon’, he has captivated at least three generations, from the voice of the twist to an elegant chansonnier. Songs such as ‘Roberta’ and ‘Champagne’, which form part of Italia’s musical history, are still sung and loved today, even by the youngest generations.
The only Italian singer to have performed on the stage where the Beatles once performed
Having worked his way up through the nightclubs of Capri and Ischia, wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a lamé jacket, he was the only Italian singer to take to the stage once graced by the Beatles during their famous 1965 Italian tour, Peppino was a child prodigy on the piano, performing from the age of four for American soldiers stationed in Capri. From 1958, his first hit, ‘Malatia’, instantly made him a star, accompanied by the Rockers. ‘Don’t Play That Song’, ‘Voce’ and ‘Let’s Twist Again’ (his best-selling record), and ‘Nessuno al mondo’ provided the soundtrack to a carefree Italia on the cusp of the economic boom. With “Me chiamme ammore”, he won the last Festival di Napoli in 1970. He had taken part in fifteen Sanremo Festivals – an all-time record – winning two: in 1973 with ‘Un grande amore e niente più’ and in 1976 with ‘Non lo faccio più’. He has had countless evergreen hits from the 1970s to the present day, from ‘Amare di meno’ – the theme tune to the legendary TV show *Rischiatutto* – to ‘Roberta’, from ‘Auguri’ to ‘Il sognatore’, whilst never forgetting the tradition. In 2023, on the Sanremo stage, Amadeus presented him with a lifetime achievement award. Then came the celebration in 2025 with *Champagne*, the Rai biopic directed by Cinzia Th Torrini and starring Francesco Del Gaudio in his role, which secured his place in history with a star in the Hall of Fame – as if that were needed for such an unforgettable performer.
