There comes a moment when a presentation stops being just a presentation. It happens when music no longer illustrates a project, but transcends it. On April 17, at the Press Room of the Chamber of Deputies in Montecitorio, this is exactly what happened with Sussurrando, the third album and second vinyl release by Roberta Tondelli. A journey through three centuries of Neapolitan song, blending acoustic sound, jazz, and bossa nova, evolved into something more: an encounter.
Breaking the institutional framework of the event from the very beginning was an unexpected presence—a delegation from Mongolia. Among them were Erdenebileg Munkh, advisor to the State Great Khural, the Mongolian Parliament, and mezzosoprano Sayana Sambuu. Within minutes, the atmosphere in the room shifted. No longer just a record presentation, but a dialogue between distant worlds finding a shared language in music. A common vision clearly emerged: “Through art, culture, and music, we can contribute to peace and develop shared projects between our countries.”
Following the Mongolian delegation’s remarks, Tommaso Scattolari, President of the Art and Culture Commission of the Parliamentary Intergroup, emphasized the value of international cultural cooperation: “The history of the world has shaped the development of peoples and their cultures. Starting from traditions, we can build new forms of collaboration.” He further highlighted the role of music as a shared language: “In the future, we will have great opportunities to work together to develop and promote culture and music. Through collaboration in art and culture, we can contribute to peace in the world.”
The discussion was led by Rai journalist and radio host Valeria Saggese, alongside Luca Antonio Pepe, journalist and editorial co-director with extensive experience in institutional communication within the Italian Parliament. From the outset, the key message was clear: “It is a language that reaches directly into the soul. That is why Neapolitan music is able to unite people.” Sussurrando revisits the Neapolitan tradition through original arrangements by Mauro Spenillo. It is a work that weaves memory and contemporaneity without breaking its roots. For Roberta Tondelli, the selection itself was a responsibility: “Every song is a poem that has accompanied generations. Choosing was extremely difficult.” And again: “I wanted to bring this repertoire closer to people without altering it, creating a bridge between past and present.”
Then something happens that no program could predict. Roberta Tondelli sings Era de maggio a cappella. No accompaniment. No mediation. Just her voice. For a few moments, the room truly stands still. That is when the project stops being explained and becomes experience. The discussion also opened to a broader reflection: “Those who make music have a responsibility. Young people listen, they follow. Music can restore balance.”
A video message from Mauro Spenillo reaffirmed the musical and philological research behind the project, highlighting the long process of crafting arrangements based on listening and a conscious reinterpretation of Neapolitan tradition in a contemporary key. His contribution brought the focus back to the artisanal and conceptual dimension of the work.
A video greeting was also delivered by Italian MP Alessandro Ciaramiello, who, although unable to attend due to institutional commitments in Campania, expressed his support for the initiative within the broader framework of cultural promotion and dialogue between territories.
The atmosphere remained informal yet intense. Among the guests was also Amanda Bonini, the last partner of Pino Daniele, welcomed with warmth and discretion.
In the end, Sussurrando is not just an album presented within an institution. It is a point of connection—between Naples and the world, between memory and the present, between different languages that, for a moment, find a common form.
And perhaps it all comes down to that single voice filling the room better than any speech. Because when music remains essential, it does not explain. It simply happens.
Roberto Buono
On April 17, 2026, at 11:30 AM, the presentation of the musical project Sussurrando took place at the Press Room of the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Montecitorio. The initiative was promoted by the Art and Culture Commission of the Parliamentary Intergroup “Sviluppo Sud, Aree Fragili e Isole Minori.”
An acoustic and cultural journey through three centuries of Neapolitan melody, Sussurrando, performed by Roberta Tondelli and arranged by Mauro Spenillo, reinterprets Naples’ intangible heritage—from 19th-century classics to contemporary masters such as Pino Daniele—through the refined and universal languages of smooth jazz and bossa nova.
A project of preservation and enhancement that combines the authenticity of tradition with the modernity of sophisticated arrangements, performed strictly live.
Available on all digital platforms and on vinyl, Sussurrando is an invitation to attentive and intimate listening—a refined tribute to Neapolitan melody, dressed in timeless elegance and emotion. With Sussurrando, Roberta Tondelli celebrates Neapolitan music and brings it into the present, inviting listeners to rediscover the magic of Naples.
A Side
- Vieneme ’nzuonno – M. Zanfaglia, L. Benedetto
- Comm’aggia fa – M. Terzi, Sergio Iodice, Fred Bongusto
- Vasame – F. Gioielli, A. Visco
- Canzone appassiunata – E.A. Mario
- Uocchie c’arragiunate – A. Falcone Fieni, Falvo
- ’E Spingule Francesi – Salvatore Di Giacomo, Enrico De Leva
- Si turnasse a nascere – Gigi D’Alessio
B Side
- Ammore scumbinato – Pino Daniele
- E io te credo – G. D’Angelo
- Solitudine – V. De Crescenzo, F. Rendine
- Na voce ’na chitarra (e ’o poco ’e luna) – U. Calise, C.A. Rossi
- Te sto aspettanno – Titomaglio, Dan Caslar
- ’A cchiù bella – A. De Curtis, G. Russo, M.A. Sisini
- Era de Maggio – S. Di Giacomo, M.P. Costa
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