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Celebrations of Naples 2500, momentum of success continuing with America's Cup

More than 2500 local and international music and theatre events are planned throughout the year

21 May 2025

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The 2025 year full of projects and events to celebrate the millennium birthday of Naples, one of the oldest cities in Europe, which began in the sign of Eduardo De Filippo with 'Napoli Milionaria' at the San Carlo Theatre, both symbols of the city, has put the Neapolitan metropolis at the centre of international attention.

It is no coincidence that the awarding of the America's Cup 2027 'Louis Vitton 38th', the most prestigious sailing trophy, came as a result of the ongoing celebrations that started at the San Carlo Theatre where Eduardo De Filippo staged the premiere of 'Napoli Milionaria' 80 years ago. Right from the event's logo, created by graphic designer Rita Zunno, in art 'Kinky', one can see the focus on numbers as taught by the Smorfia. By removing the final zeros from 2500, the first indicates Virgil's egg, the legendary protective foundation of the city, the second an opening towards the future, the start date remains. More than 2500 local and international events are planned over the course of the year, featuring music and theatre in the name of tradition and new artistic trends.

"Napule è" by Pino Daniele

Serving as the theme song for the events, selected to revisit the stratification of the history of millenary Naples, will be an unreleased version of Pino Daniele's 'Napule è', not only to remember him on the tenth anniversary of his death but to reiterate that 'Naples is' many things at once. For Laura Valente, artistic director of the event, "the programme has not only a celebratory purpose, but also a founding one. The projects will be a permanent creative workshop, a forge for the talents of this territory. "

Scrolling through the many events, on the occasion of the 'International Day of Dance' we point out a performance, in Piazza del Plebiscito, by the Ballet School of the San Carlo Theatre in Naples, one of the oldest in Europe. Protagonist of the day will be the Company directed by Clotilde Vayer for a collective lesson open to the public. For a few hours the square will become, between bars and mats, a dance school.

On 9, 10 and 12 October, the first edition of the 'International Opera Competition' will start at the San Carlo Theatre in the name of Enrico Caruso, to whom the first national museum has been dedicated at the Royal Palace of Naples.

It is in collaboration with the world's most important theatres - New York's Metropolitan, Milan's Teatro alla Scala, the Aix En Provence Festival, the Theatres of Munich and Amsterdam - an opportunity to hear new voices in opera.

Alessandro Scarlatti

On 24 October, to mark the 300th anniversary of Alessandro Scarlatti's death, the programme includes the performance of his Oratorio for five voices and instruments, a genre to which he had long dedicated himself, 'The Garden of Roses: The Most Holy Virgin of the Rosary'. To do so in a philologically correct manner in the Girolamini Church, twenty years after the first modern performance at the auditorium in Rome, will be the baroque orchestra 'Cappella Neapolitana' conducted by Antonio Florio

Not to be missed is the world premiere of 'Partenope' on 12 and 14 December, a composition by Ennio Morricone to be performed at the San Carlo Theatre. In 1996, the famous film music composer completed a work to a libretto by Guido Barbieri and Sandro Cappelletto, an opera named after the siren of Naples, stylised in the logo, a city to which Morricone was very attached. The protagonist of the opera is a 'double' character as is the nature of the siren: woman in love (a pop voice) and vestal (soprano). Vanessa Beecroft will create a very special installation for the occasion.

In addition to the first edition of the 'Napoli Fringe Fest', the 'Happy Birthday Neapolis Review' is planned as a grand finale from 21 December to 6 January. Two weeks to celebrate the first 2,500 years of the city, a celebration of Neapolitan culture in the name of including a wide audience - many young people for the first time were able to go to the San Carlo Theatre for a moment of public culture to see Eduardo De Filippo projected on the screen and remember his myth - which will continue with the America's regattas in the gulf in two years' time.

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