Vinicio Capossela

Some of his songs — especially in the album Marinai, profeti e balene ("Sailors, Prophets and Whales") — are inspired by themes and legends from around the world (Canzone a manovella, Medusa cha cha cha) and from world literature, such as Homer (Calypso, La lancia del pelide), 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).

[2] 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).

[9] The experience behind the making of the record was included in his first film, La faccia della terra, directed by Gianfranco Firriolo and published by Feltrinelli in 2010.

It is focused on Greek mythology and marine literature, with songs inspired by Melville's Moby Dick, Conrad's Lord Jim or Céline's Scandale aux abysses.

[14] Still in 2013, Capossela became artistic director of a musical and cultural festival called Sponz Fest, that takes place in Calitri (in the Campania area of Irpinia) during the final week of August.

[20] In 2020, he released Bestiario d'amore, a four songs EP whose title-track is the translation and adaptation of a poem by the thirtheenth-century French troubadour Richard de Fournival.

It is a retrospective of his career and life since 2006, and it allows the reader to enter and discover the cultural background that led to Capossela's most highly-acclaimed albums.

[22] Also in 2021, he went on a tour called Bestiale Comedìa, which was inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy on the 700th anniversary of his death and that was performed also during Dubai's Expo.

[23] In October, after the end of this tour, he performed four special concerts in Milan's Blue Note club as a way of celebrating his thirty-year career.

[24] The concerts, called Personal Standards / Round one thirty five, gave life to a new tour that lasted throughout 2022 and took place both in Italy and abroad.