Inaudito: Un napoletano a Parigi

The 18th century European music scene is marked by the continuous movement of composers and performers, tireless travelers who bring styles, tastes, and techniques from one court to another, from one academy to another, creating a fertile dialogue between cultures. It is within this context that the figure of Michele Mascitti emerges—a Neapolitan violinist who moved to Paris, where he achieved extraordinary success. His sonatas were printed multiple times and praised for the elegance of their phrasing, able to combine the Italian school with French taste.

The program opens with Scarlatti, the father of the Neapolitan cantata, and continues with the youthful works of Vivaldi, where the rhythmic vitality and melodic imagination already foreshadow the energy of the future “Red Priest.” The famous Follia, a theme beloved by generations of musicians, transforms in Vivaldi’s hands into a dizzying series of variations, balancing rigor and invention.

The dialogue expands to include Telemann, the cosmopolitan German master, and Handel, who, from Halle to London, assimilated and reworked the Italian and French idioms. Their chamber sonatas showcase the international taste that characterized the first half of the century.

In this journey, Mascitti represents a bridge: a “Neapolitan in Paris” who brings with him Mediterranean cantability and adapts it to the refinement of the French environment. The concert thus becomes a voyage through the musical routes of the 18th century, when art knew no boundaries and composers’ identities were shaped through encounters with others.