“Amanti – Santi – Naviganti” is the new solo project of Italian artist Antonio Smiriglia, ambassador of the popular music from the Nebrodi in Sicily. 

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For Antonio, it all started when he was 8 years old. A member  of the local choir in Galati Mamertino, a small village on the hills in front of Capo d’Orlando and the majestic area of the Eolian Islands, he grew up with strong roots in the local tradition before getting acquainted with the works of La Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare that was  founded by Italian legendary musician and songwriter Eugenio Bennato.

 

Over the years, he took part in several musical projects, and helped give a new direction to the choir Cantori of Galati Mamertino, the keepers of Nebrodi’s oral tradition.

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Antonio remembers: «Apart from giving them a general organization, I fleshed out the repertoire by pulling out of their memory some pieces that they did not perform anymore, like “cunti”, lullabies and nursery rhymes. Their sound remained authentic and typical to the region. The great maestro, Franco Battiato, called us to present his opus “Traversando il Bardo”. I helped him rearrange the song “U Cuntu” which he then sang with the entire choir.”

 

With his new solo project, Antonio hopes to be able to express himself alongside a line where tradition meet global influences.