Mario Merola | |
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Mario Merola
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Background information | |
Born |
Napoli |
April 6, 1934
Origin | Naples, Campania, Italy |
Died | November 12, 2006 Castellamare di Stabia |
(aged 72)
Genres | Canzone Napoletana, Pop music |
Occupation(s) | Singer, Actor |
Years active | 1959–2006 |
Labels | , , , , , , |
Website | http://www.mariomerola.it/ricordo.asp |
Mario Merola (April 6, 1934 – November 12, 2006) was an Italian singer and actor, most prominently known for having rejuvenated the traditional popular Neapolitan melodrama known as the sceneggiata.
He was nicknamed the King of the sceneggiata to be able to give this kind typically a regional and a national popularity and success unknown before, to make a film genre, representing all of this even off the stage, so being able to put a face to sceneggiata.
Born into a poor family of Naples, Merola held a number of day jobs ranging from kitchen help to longshoreman at the port of Naples until one of his songs, Malu Figliu, was used successfully in a sceneggiata, promoting him into the limelight. Merola was at the height of his popularity in the 1970s and 1980s.
With the proceeds of the first vocal performances manages to marry Rosa Serrapiglia, April 5, 1964, with whom he had three children: Roberto (organizer of musical events), Loredana (housewife) and Francesco, singer, too, who in recent years has accompanied the father on numerous occasions, among them the performance at the Festival of Naples in 2001, where they won the first prize with the song L'Urdemo emigrante (The last immigrant).
The first public performance of Merola happens by chance, at the beginning of the sixties, from just had sounded the siren of the lunch break at the port of Naples and Merola, along with colleagues unloaders, walked in the square near the church of Sant 'Anna to the Marshes to attend the party on the occasion of the celebration of the Virgin Mary. The singer who had produce, Mario Trevi, came to the event with a ten-minute delay. In this expectation colleagues Merola led Miscavige to get on stage and perform, for the first time, from before a public.
In 1964, he made his debut at the Festival of Naples with the song Doce e' 'o silenzio (Sweet is the silence), coupled with Elsa Quarta. The next year will be the time to T'aspetto a maggio (wait for you in May) with Achille Togliani and Tu stasera si pusilleco (You will tonigh Pusilleco) with Enzo Del Forno. In 1966 he continued his participation in the Festival of Naples with the songs and Femmene e tamorre and Ciento catene (one hundred chains), in 1967 Allegretto ma non-troppo (happy but not too), in 1968 Cchiu' forte (stronger) and Comm'a 'nu Sciummo (like a river) in 1969 with 'O masto (the master), ciente appuntamente (hundred appointments) (which he wrote the music) and Abbracciame (hug) and in 1970 with 'Nnammurato 'e te! (in love with you) and Chitarra rossa (Guitar red). After the interruption of the Festival in 1971, it will be taken thirty years later, in 2001. In this latest edition Merola and his son Francesco, will perform with the song L'urdemo emigrante (the last emigrant), coming to a total of eight investments.