Life
His training took place in the heart of the Fin de siècle, an era where Verismo, Decadentism, and Symbolism intertwined, while his long mature career unfolded in a twentieth century marked by the revolution of Futurism and subsequent currents.
Born in Naples in 1874, Salvatore Cardillo showed an early inclination for music and was trained in the wake of the Neapolitan tradition. In his youth, he emigrated to the United States, settling in New York, where he became a respected figure in the Italian-American community. He was the author of romanzas and songs in the Neapolitan language, in which he successfully combined melodic passion with the cosmopolitan taste of the American city.
His fame is primarily linked to Core 'ngrato (Ungrateful Heart), written in 1911 to a lyric by Riccardo Cordiferro (pseudonym of Alessandro Sisca). The song, made famous by the tenor Enrico Caruso, became an emblem of Neapolitan song throughout the world. Cardillo also composed other romanzas, including Canta pe' me, which confirmed his skill in vocal writing.
Living between Naples and New York, he embodied the link between Italian tradition and the experience of emigration. He died in New York in 1947, leaving a repertoire that is still performed today by great opera singers and those of the Neapolitan tradition.
Aneddoto
The gift to Caruso
The song Core 'ngrato was written specifically for Enrico Caruso, who interpreted it with passion, helping to make it known throughout the world.Works
In addition to Core 'ngrato (1911), Cardillo composed Canta pe' me and other romanzas for voice and piano. His works were performed by the great tenors of the twentieth century and remained symbols of authorial Neapolitan song.
Briciole di storia
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