I Giullari di Piazza in Little Italy to celebrate La Befana, Jan. 5

17 December 2025

97

CELEBRATE THE EPIPHANY WITH ALESSANDRA BELLONI & I GIULLARI DI PIAZZA IN ‘CAPODANNO IN ALLEGRIA’

Featuring NEAPOLITAN CHRISTMAS MUSIC & LA BEFANA (The Good Witch of Christmas)

With excerpts from the acclaimed production LA CANTATA DEI PASTORI (The Shepherds’ Cantata)

Directed by Alessandra Belloni – with music by JOHN T. LA BARBERA Screenshot 2025-12-13 at 2.06.29 PM.png Saturday, January 3rd – at 5pm Italian American Museum 151 Mulberry Street, Little Italy NYC Tickets: $ 35

Reservations: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/la-cantata-di-natale-a-neapolitan-renaissance-christmas-concert-tickets-

I Giullari di Piazza is proud to present “Capodanno in Allegria,” a concert version of the full-length “La Cantata dei Pastori” (“The Shepherd’s Cantata,” written in the 17th century by Andrea Perrucci and still performed annually in the environs of Naples). One performance only, January 3 at 5 PM at the Italian American Museum, 151 Mulberry Street in New York’s Little Italy.

This concert version of the show features beautiful Renaissance Neapolitan music – tarantellas, villanellas, and pastorales all from traditional sources, with original music by John La Barbera. Adaptation and stage direction are by Alessandra Belloni. Songs are sung in Italian and old Neapolitan & Sicilian dialect; costuming and music instrumentation is traditional Southern Italian; narration is in English. The concert ends with Mary and her infant child, joined by the Company, in a reverent performance of the oldest known Neapolitan Christmas song with a nativity scene.

The finale includes a special surprise appearance by the comic character GYPSY JOE as LA BEFANA (good witch of Christmas) ,following the ancient Italian tradition of the Epiphany, bringing sweets to the good children and coal to the naughty ones.

Featuring:
Alessandra Belloni – Artistic Director, Percussions and Vocals
John La Barbera – Music Director, Composer, Guitar, Mandolin, Chitarra Battente
Mara Gerrety -violin, vocalsFeaturing GYPSY JOE AS LA BEFANA! Dancers: Mark Mindek as the Angel on stilts and Peter de Geronimo as shepherd & Devil

“The music, directed by John La Barbera, is folkish. The adaptation by Alessandra Belloni is geared for action rather than quiet piety. In a climactic battle, Miss Belloni as Mary beat a large drum and sang out while the Angel Gabriel took on the dragon.” John Pareles, The New York Times

WHO IS LA BEFANA? The legend of Befana began thousands of years ago and is associated with the Three Kings and Following the Light – the Star (Epiphania in Greek). Befana remains to this day a tradition practiced by Italian children and their families. La Befana is an old Good Witch, who also represents the Earth Mother. On the eve of January 5th, Befana flies from house to house on her old broom and wears a black shawl over a dress dirty with soot from the chimneys she climbs down to deliver her gifts. For the good children she brings special Italian sweets, and she brings coal for the bad children. This is the most beloved tradition by all children in Italy, similar to Santa Claus.

Screenshot 2025-12-15 at 7.08.30 PM.png