Vinicio Capossela

Vinicio Capossela

Vinicio Capossela (born 14 December 1965) is an Italian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist.

Capossela is renowned for the highly original and poetic lyrics of his songs. Many of them draw from traditions of Italian folk music, especially those of his parent's native Irpinia, part of the Campania province.

Some of his songs — especially in the album Marinai, profeti e balene ("Sailors, Prophets and Whales") — are inspired on world themes and legends (Canzone a manovella, Medusa) and world literature, such as Homer (Calypso, La lancia del pellide), Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Santissima dei naufragati), Joseph Conrad (Lord Jim), Herman Melville (Billy Budd, La Bianchezza della Balena), John Fante (Accolita dei rancorosi), Oscar Wilde (Con una rosa), Alfred Jarry (Decervellamento) and Geoffrey Chaucer (Corvo torvo).^[1] His musical style has been compared to that of Tom Waits.^{[citation needed]}

Vinicio Capossela and Mario Trevi (2009).

He also published translations of original songs by other authors, including Bob Dylan (La nave sta arrivando), Vladimir Vysotsky (Il pugile sentimentale) and Markos Vamvakaris (Contratto per Karelias).

Biography[]

Capossela was born in Hannover (Germany) to Italian parents. His father Vito was from Calitri and his mother from Andretta, both towns in the Irpinia region of Campania. The name "Vinicio" was an homage to a famous accordion player admired by his father.^[2]

At an early age he returned to Italy with the family, that settled in the province of Reggio Emilia. Growing up, Capossela became popular in the underground musical scene of the Emilia-Romagna region. There he attracted the attention of Francesco Guccini, who introduced him to , an organization founded in 1972 to promote emerging songwriters. Capossela published his first album (All'una e trentacinque circa) in 1990. It was followed by Modì (1991) and Camera a Sud (1994). Capossela's big breakthrough happened in 1996 with the album Il ballo di San Vito.

Private life[]

Capossela always refused to discuss his private life. In 1994 he married an American model ^[3] but the couple divorced after about two years.^[4]

Discography[]

• All'una e trentacinque circa - 1990
• Modì - 1991
• Camera a sud - 1994
• Il ballo di San Vito - 1996
• Liveinvolvo - 1998 - (Live Album)
• Canzoni a manovella - 2000
• L'indispensabile - 2003
• Ovunque proteggi - 2006
• Nel niente sotto il sole - Grand tour 2006 - 2007 - (Live Album)
• Da solo - 2008 - (ITA Platinum 90,000+)
• Solo Show Alive - 2009 - (Live Album)
• The Story-Faced Man - 2010
• La nave sta arrivando - 2011 - (EP)
• Marinai, profeti e balene - 2011
• Rebetiko Gymnastas - 2012
• Canzoni della cupa - 2016
• Ballate per uomini e bestie - 2019

Bibliography[]

Books by Vinicio Capossela[]

• Vinicio Capossela, Non si muore tutte le mattine, ISBN 88-07-01647-8, Feltrinelli, Milan (2004)
• Vinicio Capossela, Vincenzo Costantino Cinaski, In clandestinità, ISBN 978-88-07-01785-8, Feltrinelli, Milan (2009)
• Vinicio Capossela, Tefteri - Il libro dei conti in sospeso, ISBN 9788842819417, Il Saggiatore, Milan (2013)

Books about Vinicio Capossela[]

• Elisabetta Cucco, Vinicio Capossela. Rabdomante senza requie, ISBN 88-86784-31-7, Auditorium, Milan (2005)
• Vincenzo Mollica, Niente canzoni d'amore + DVD Parole e canzoni, ISBN 88-06-18668-X, Einaudi, Turin (2006)
• Massimo Padalino, Il ballo di San Vinicio, ISBN 978-88-6231-083-3, Arcana (2009)

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vinicio Capossela.

• Official Site

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