Renowned Italian Composer Roberto De Simone Passes Away at 91
Naples: Italian musician, composer, stage director, playwright, and folk-traditions scholar Roberto De Simone has died at the age of 91 at his home in Naples, sources said on Monday.
According to Ansa News Agency, De Simone was a pivotal figure in the cultural landscape of Naples, a city that is currently celebrating its 2500 years of history. His contributions to music and the arts have left a lasting impact, particularly through his work as a musicologist, composer, director, and anthropologist.
De Simone founded the Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare in 1967 and authored the opera Gatta Cenerentola in 1976. He was a profound scholar of popular traditions, which he helped introduce to a global audience. From 1981 to 1987, he served as the Artistic Director of the Teatro San Carlo opera house, the world’s oldest opera house, where he played a significant role in the rediscovery of the music and culture of eighteenth-century Naples.
His vast body of work included compositions such as the Requiem in memory of Pier Paolo Pasolini (1985) and Eleonora (1999), which was created for the bicentenary of the Neapolitan Revolution of 1799. De Simone also directed productions in major international theaters, further cementing his influence in the world of music and theater.
The funeral for Roberto De Simone will be held in Naples on Wednesday.