Santa Lucia (song)
Santa Lucia is a Neapolitan song ( canzone napoletana ) from the middle of the 19th century, which became famous especially in Scandinavia through the spread of the Lucia festival . It was published in 1849 by Teodoro Cottrau . It is uncertain whether he wrote the text and music himself or - more likely - just recorded and edited it.
Origin and reception
Cottrau published the song in 1849 as a barcarole in the Neapolitan dialect and translated it into Italian during the Risorgimento . The text praises the then picturesque fishing port of Borgo Santa Lucia on the Gulf of Naples , in the words of a shipper who invites you to take a boat trip in the refreshingly cool evening air.
The song soon became a worldwide success with translations, among others, into English by Thomas Oliphant, published in Baltimore by M. McCaffrey. The song was sung by Enrico Caruso as well as Elvis Presley (released in 1965 on the album Elvis for Everyone ). The best known Swedish version is the Lucia singing . The Czech variant praises the beauty of Naples . ( Krásná je Neapol ).
text
| Italian text |
translation |
|
Sul mare luccica l'astro d'argento; |
The silver stars glitter on the sea; |
