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| Italian tarantella | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tarantella |
| Caption | Traditional tarantella performance |
| Cultural origin | Southern Italy |
| Instruments | Tambourine, mandolin, accordion |
Italian tarantella is a traditional southern Italian folk dance and musical genre associated with regions such as Naples, Sicily, Calabria, Puglia and Campania. The tarantella occupies a prominent place in the cultural histories of Italy, appearing in the works of composers like Niccolò Paganini, Franz Liszt, Giuseppe Verdi and in ethnographic records collected by figures such as Giuseppe Pitrè and Alan Lomax. Its rhythms and imagery have influenced theatrical productions in La Scala, Commedia dell'arte revivals, and cinematic portrayals by directors like Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti and Roberto Rossellini.
Scholars debate the tarantella's origins, tracing links to medieval processions in Naples, Byzantine liturgical music from Constantinople and Iberian dance forms introduced during the Aragonese rule of Sicily and Naples. Ethnomusicologists such as Alan Lomax, Giuseppe Pitrè and Donald Jay Grout documented local variants and oral histories connecting the dance to the phenomenon of tarantism recorded in works by Ernesto De Martino and discussed in journals like Rivista degli Studi Orientali. Historical mentions appear in the travelogues of Giacomo Casanova, the diaries of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and the ethnographic studies supported by institutions such as the Istituto Centrale per i Beni Sonori e Audiovisivi and the British Museum collections. The 19th century saw romanticized presentations by performers in salons attended by Gioachino Rossini, Franz Schubert and patrons from Vienna and Paris.
Tarantella music typically uses a fast 6/8 or 12/8 meter reflected in scores by Niccolò Paganini and arrangements by Franz Liszt, with melodic patterns reminiscent of Neapolitan song traditions collected by Luigi Denza and harmonies documented by Gioachino Rossini. Instrumentation often includes the tambourine (zampogna) associated with street musicians from Naples and Bari, the mandolin featured in the repertoire of Raffaele Calace and the accordion popularized by players like Pietro Frosini. Regional ensembles sometimes add violin parts influenced by virtuosi such as Niccolò Paganini and wind sections recalling performances at venues like Teatro San Carlo and La Fenice. Field recordings by Alan Lomax and archival holdings at the Archivio di Stato preserve rhythmic patterns and modal scales that link to folk repertoires cataloged by Cesare De Lollis.
Variations include the fast-footed tarantella napoletana performed in Naples, the couple-focused tarantella calabrese from Calabria, the circle dances of Sicily and the couples' stepping of Puglia known in festivals such as the Festa della Bruna and the Feast of Saint Agatha. Notable regional styles were described by folklorists like Giuseppe Pitrè, Ernesto De Martino and collectors working with the Soprintendenza Archeologia; performers and groups such as Taranta Power and ensembles at the Festival della Taranta revived local repertoires. Historical accounts link certain forms to rural rituals recorded by travelers including Eugène Delacroix and ethnographers associated with the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei.
The tarantella functioned in contexts ranging from courtly entertainments attended by Pope Pius IX and Victor Emmanuel II to peasant celebrations tied to agricultural cycles in Apulia and Calabria. Scholars like Ernesto De Martino interpreted tarantism as a therapeutic ritual within communities documented in municipal archives in Lecce and Reggio Calabria, while literary figures such as Giovanni Verga and Matilde Serao depicted its social roles in realist fiction reflecting late 19th-century southern Italian life. The dance appears in operatic scenes staged at Teatro di San Carlo and in paintings acquired by institutions like the Uffizi and the National Gallery where artists referenced folk motifs in collections curated by the Pinacoteca di Brera.
Traditional tarantella costumes include regional garments such as the colorful skirts and shawls of Puglia, the embroidered bodices of Sicily and the tailored jackets seen in Naples theatrical troupes; these garments were exhibited in museums like the Museo Nazionale del Bargello and the Museo Nazionale di Villa Giulia. Choreography involves rapid footwork, partner exchanges and improvisatory flourishes documented in choreographic notes associated with productions at La Scala and community festivals like the Festa di San Gennaro. Costume components and dance motifs influenced stage designers from Carlo Goldoni productions to 20th-century choreographers such as Maurice Béjart when presenting Italian themes in venues like Opéra Garnier.
The 20th- and 21st-century revival of the tarantella was catalyzed by field recordings collected by Alan Lomax, festival programming at the Festival della Taranta and reinterpretations by musicians like Ludovico Einaudi and ensembles curated by producers associated with the World Music scene. Contemporary composers and directors including Ennio Morricone, Federico Fellini collaborators and world music promoters have incorporated tarantella elements into film scores, concert works and cross-cultural projects presented at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall and international festivals like WOMAD. Academic research continues at institutions like the University of Naples Federico II and the Sapienza University of Rome while community groups, dance companies and recording labels sustain living traditions across Italy and in diasporic communities in New York City, Buenos Aires and Toronto.
Category:Italian folk dances