With the arrival of July, the tourist season of the island of Ischia and the event calendar are filling exponentially, enriched with Neapolitan but also International music occasions.

All along Ischia can be considered the island of music, being muse for many singers, lyric writers and musicians. Ischia was the favorite destination for the British composer Sir William Walton, and here he composed his great works. Ischia is without doubt the island of the stave!

In 1938 Roberto Murolo dedicated to the island his work 'Ischia', but without success.

Ischia is without doubt the island of the stave!

In 1938 Roberto Murolo dedicated to the island his work 'Ischia', but without success. After the two World Wars the great Totò included the expression 'Ischia mia' in the work 'Paravise e' gioventù'. Afterwards Tito Manlio launched 'Ischia, parole e musica', and finally with Ugo Calise there was the work "Na voce, 'na chitarra e 'o ppoco e'luna" to consecrate Ischia as muse, even if the term Ischia never appears in the text.

In July 1957 thanks to the Evi (Ischia Island Development Authority), in Lacco Ameno, at the terrace of a typical Ischitan local "Marietta", was celebrated the first Sea Music Festival. Antonio Basurto won with his song " ' Na casa a Ischia" that afterwards was used as sound-track in the movie 'Vacanze a Ischia' (Holiday in Ischia), by Rizzoli with a rich cast of characters like Vittorio De Sica, Mirian Bru and Renato Salvatori.

On the occasion of the first Festival performance, we find also a nice composition by Domenico Mudugno and Pazzaglia entitled "Ischia sta 'mmiez' 'o mare", not very appreciated by the public at once, in 1959 it become the jingle of the TV-show "Canzoni dal mare"(Songs from the sea).

Two years later, the second Sea Music Festival saw winners Gino Latilla e Teddy Reno with the song "Marenarella, ohè". Many compositions were created on the occasion of the festival like "Ischia milleseicento" by Palomba and Lombardi and " 'O vino d'Ischia" by Fabor and Pazzaglia, sung by Miranda Martino and Gino Latilla and then "L'orologio di Lacco Ameno" by Abbodio and Degiac(Giacomo Deuringer), sung by Gino Latilla and Miranda Martino.

In 1961, two years later, the third Sea Music Festival announced Ugo Calise winner with the song " Ti regalo la luna", sung also in English by Carol Daniel.

I have tried to tell in summary the Festival's story, created and produced by my father Giacomo Deuringer.

This year the festival entitled and dedicated to my father, will take place on July 22nd thanks to work of the Organizing Committee which has organized the Sant' Anna rocks Celebration and to whom I say thank you so much.

And thanks to the management of the Artistic Director Carlo Missaglia, Gianni D'Amico, Lello Postiglione, Geppino Cuomo and the Irace brothers, the celebration will be a guaranteed success.

You haven't heard the last of this: this year on the occasion of the Global Film & Music Fest and "Ischia Music Award " will be awarded famous singers like Lucio Dalla and Gino Paoli, who probably in Ischia away back in 1963, wrote the unforgettable "Sapore di sale" dedicated to his beloved Stefania Sandrelli.

An island that 50 years ago, saw for the first time Peppino di Capri to sing his magic song "Nun è peccato" by Ugo Calise, when Ischia was still the capital city of the Italian music. Ischia counted dozens of night clubs where big name artists like Mina and Modugno put side by side with International stars.

This year there will be the return of Peppino di Capri in Piazzale delle Alghe in Ischia Ponte on July 22nd, as testimonial of the 4th Sea Music Festival...waiting for the date July 25th : Peppino di Capri in concert!

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