From Metastasio to Mario Persico: books, research, awards, and accolades. A new chapter for Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio in the summer of 2026.
Three essays trace a journey spanning the history of *melodramma* (opera), documentary sources, and autograph scores: from the study on the “Primacy of the Text” in Pietro Metastasio’s work to the new edition dedicated to Mario Persico—a path shaped by years of research, cultural activity, awards, and accolades. The summer of 2026 offers a new opportunity to rediscover this journey and explore the books that chronicle its various stages.
NAPLES – Summer 2026. There are moments when experiences cultivated over the years seem to find a natural point of convergence. The summer of 2026 marks one such moment in the artistic, scholarly, and cultural journey of Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio.
This is not because the books, research, awards, and accolades all belong to this specific season, but because this period—coinciding with the release of the new, expanded, and in-depth edition regarding Mario Persico and his operatic output—allows for a retrospective look at the various stages of a journey built over time, one that continues to be enriched by new developments to this day.
From the initial research dedicated to Mario Persico to the study of Pietro Metastasio’s *melodramma*, and finally the return to Persico through new documents, testimonies, and analyses of autograph scores, a path emerges in which artistic experience and musicological research have become increasingly intertwined.
Throughout this journey, awards, commendations, and accolades for their musical and cultural work have marked various milestones, helping to provide a more comprehensive picture of an experience grounded in research, interpretation, and the dissemination of knowledge.
Mario Persico: From Initial Rediscovery to New, Expanded Research
The first edition of *Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica* (Mario Persico and His Operatic Works) marked the starting point of an effort to refocus attention on Mario Persico—a Neapolitan composer of the early 20th century whose figure and operatic output had gradually faded from musical memory.
Reconstructing his story meant, first and foremost, seeking out and organizing available evidence, revisiting documents and scores, and reopening a chapter of Neapolitan and Italian musical history that had remained largely unexplored.
However, the research did not end with that first volume.
In the years that followed, new materials emerged—documents, correspondence, photographs, personal accounts, and other sources—enabling a more detailed reconstruction of Persico’s biography and artistic persona, as well as his relationships and the cultural context in which his work developed.
It is precisely this new documentation that provides a key reason for the new edition of *Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica* by Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio, published by Editoria Online.
This is not merely a reprint or a simple editorial update, but a more extensive and in-depth work compared to the first edition, born from the continued pursuit of research.
The photographs and personal accounts help reveal not only the composer but also the man behind the music, situating his artistic output within the context of his life story and the cultural landscape in which he lived.
Inside the Autograph Scores: Persico’s Creative Workshop
One of the most significant features of the new edition is the deeper musicological analysis it offers.
Indeed, the autograph scores of his operas become a central focus of the research.
The musical manuscript is viewed not merely as a historical document to be preserved or cataloged, but as direct evidence of the composer’s creative workshop. The study thus delves into the construction of the works: their vocal writing, orchestration, harmonic and thematic procedures, the musical characterization of the roles, the structuring of theatrical situations, and—above all—the relationship between word, music, and dramatic action.
Particular attention is paid to episodes that allow for a concrete examination of Persico’s compositional choices.
Among these, *Morenita*—with a libretto by Luigi Sbragia—plays a significant role, offering an ideal opportunity to explore Persico’s writing style and gain deeper insight into the interplay between melodic invention, the orchestra, vocal writing, and dramatic development.
This new edition thus enables a transition from the initial, essential phase of historical and documentary recovery to an inquiry that seeks to penetrate more deeply into the music itself.
Biography, memory, documentation, and score analysis thereby become complementary elements of a unified reconstruction.
The volume is further enriched by a preface from Professor Michelangelo Iossa and retains the preface to the first edition by
international tenor Maestro Fabio Armiliato, creating an ideal dialogue between musicological research and interpretive experience.
[Discover and purchase the new edition of “Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica” on Amazon Italy](https://www.amazon.it/Mario-Persico-sua-produzione-operistica/dp/B0GQ58G9ZJ)
From this perspective, the first edition remains an important record of the project’s origins and allows one to appreciate the extent to which the research has subsequently expanded.
[View the first edition of “Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica”](https://www.libreriauniversitaria.it/mario-persico-produzione-operistica-ediz/libro/9791281242029?srsltid=AfmBOop_U4y7lGwRAAnVUGcCOyw7Xp796dESHzdftA-CmnEgm2rlrCJ0)
Presentation on Rai 3’s “Il Leggilibri” segment
The effort to share the essay dedicated to Mario Persico with the public also reached Rai television. Indeed, *Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica* was featured on the “Il Leggilibri” segment, hosted by journalist Mario Ciccarone for TGR Campania on Rai 3.
This was a significant opportunity for visibility that helped bring the research—dedicated to rediscovering Mario Persico—to the attention of a television audience, highlighting a figure closely linked to Naples’ musical and cultural history.
The essay’s appearance on TGR Campania represents another step in the journey of disseminating this research: moving from archives and scores to the book, and from the book to the media and, ultimately, a wider audience.
Pietro Metastasio and the Theory of the “Primacy of the Text”
Between the initial research and the new study dedicated to Mario Persico lies another fundamental milestone: *Il Melodramma di Pietro Metastasio: Il Primato del Testo* (The Melodrama of Pietro Metastasio: The Primacy of the Text) by Luca Lupoli, published by Casa Editrice Pagine, featuring biographical, bibliographical, and source research curated by Olga De Maio.
Persico and Metastasio clearly belong to vastly different eras of music history.
On one hand, there is Pietro Metastasio, a towering figure of eighteenth-century *melodramma* (opera); on the other, Mario Persico, a Neapolitan composer of the early twentieth century.
Yet, when viewed through these studies, their worlds converge around a central question:
what is the relationship between word, music, and dramaturgy in *melodramma*?
In the study on Metastasio, too, the methodology begins with primary sources.
Examining Pietro Metastasio’s correspondence alongside an analysis of his dramas allows for a comparison between the poet’s theoretical reflections and the practical workshop of theatrical writing.
This inquiry gives rise to the theory that lends the volume its title: the Primacy of the Text over music in *melodramma*.
The poetic word is not viewed merely as a vehicle upon which music is subsequently applied, but rather as the generative principle of the dramatic construction: it organizes the action, defines the characters, and provides the framework upon which music and spectacle are built.
Thus, the “Primacy of the Text” is not presented as an abstract formula; instead, it emerges from a direct examination of the correspondence and an analysis of Metastasio’s dramas, linking what he states in his letters to what he actually achieves in his theatrical writing. [Discover “Il Melodramma di Pietro Metastasio, Il Primato del Testo” – Casa Editrice Pagine](https://casaeditricepagine.net/product/pietro-metastasio/)
Three essays, three stages of a single research journey
It is precisely when viewing these works in succession that a particularly interesting element emerges.
While not formally constituting a published trilogy, the three volumes can be read as three stages of the same research journey.
The first essay, on Mario Persico, represents rediscovery: recovering a nearly forgotten composer, reconstructing his story, and bringing his works and documents back to contemporary attention.
*Il Melodramma di Pietro Metastasio, Il Primato del Testo* marks the moment of theoretical and dramaturgical reflection: examining correspondence and plays to understand—from within—the nature of *melodramma* and the relationship between poetry and music.
Finally, the new edition of *Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica* represents a deepening of the study and a maturation of the work.
One returns to the composer with whom the journey began, but does so with new sources, documents, and testimonies, as well as greater experience in analyzing scores and dramaturgical mechanisms.
Rediscovery. Reflection. In-depth study.
Three words summarizing three distinct phases in which archives, biography, correspondence, poetic text, and musical scores have progressively engaged in dialogue.
From the stage to the archive, from the archive to the music
This journey is also characterized by the authors’ backgrounds in musical performance.
Indeed, the research stems from the expert practical experience as opera performers, for whom a score is not merely an object of study, but material destined to be transformed into voice, orchestra, gesture, and theater.
Knowledge of vocal performance and stagecraft thus offers a unique perspective when approaching source materials.
Work on Metastasio prompts questions regarding the role of the word in the construction of the drama.
Work on Persico invites one to consider how that word is transformed by music, how the orchestra contributes to the narrative, and how the composer musically constructs the action and the characters.
This creates an ideal movement from the stage to the archive, and from the archive back to the stage.
Awards and honors: milestones of a journey built over time
Their scholarly writing is part of a broader artistic and cultural commitment pursued by Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio—including through the *Noi per Napoli APS* Cultural Association—aimed at promoting music, art, and culture, and sharing values of legality and solidarity.
The awards and honors received do not belong to a single moment or exclusively to the summer of 2026; rather, they represent successive milestones in a journey that has matured over the years and garnered significant new recognition between 2025 and 2026.
Cartagine 2.0 International Cultural Award – Music and Culture
In 2025, Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio were presented with the 25th edition of the Cartagine 2.0 International Cultural Award in the Music and Culture category, at the prestigious Sala dei Baroni in Naples’ Maschio Angioino castle.
This honor recognizes their commitment to disseminating music and culture—a commitment consistent with their work, in which performance, outreach, and research go hand in hand.
“Excellence of ‘Made in Italy’ in the South”
In May 2026, further recognition was received at the “Excellence of ‘Made in Italy’ in the South” event, held at the Maschio Angioino in Naples.
The distinction awarded to Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio serves as further testament to a journey dedicated to showcasing artistic and cultural excellence and promoting local heritage.
“Amici di Giambattista Vico” International Literary Award
Of particular significance—given its connection to their literary and essay-writing endeavors—is the recognition received during the first edition of the “Amici di Giambattista Vico” International Literary Award.
On May 28, 2026, in Naples, Maestro Luca Lupoli and Maestro Olga De Maio were awarded a commendation “For cultural commitment.”
This citation, while concise, encapsulates a career path in which artistic performance is constantly complemented by research, writing, and cultural outreach.
Meritorious Members of the National Carabinieri Association
In addition to these honors, Olga De Maio and Luca Lupoli were named Meritorious Members of the National Carabinieri Association (ANC)—”Salvo D’Acquisto” Section, Naples.
This is a particularly meaningful recognition, reflecting shared values that also define the work of the “Noi per Napoli APS” Cultural Association: art, culture, legality, solidarity, civic duty, and community engagement. Gratitude is extended to the President of the ANC “Salvo D’Acquisto” Section in Naples, Lieutenant Dr. Francesco Tranfaglia.
The title of Meritorious Member thus takes on a significance that transcends the purely musical and cultural spheres, pointing to a vision of art that encompasses civic participation and responsibility. Taken together, these accolades do not constitute a mere summer episode; rather, they accompany and mark the stages of a longer journey in which artistic activity, research, outreach, and cultural engagement have unfolded in parallel.
Summer 2026: a milestone that becomes a new starting point
It is precisely from this perspective that the summer of 2026 takes on special significance.
It marks neither the beginning of this journey nor the period in which all prior experiences and accolades are concentrated. Instead, it serves as a vantage point from which to re-examine what has been built while simultaneously looking toward the most recent developments.
In this sense, the new edition of Mario Persico and his operatic output becomes almost a symbol of this continuity.
It represents a return to research begun years earlier, yet it reopens that inquiry in light of newly discovered materials—accounts, photographs, documents, and fresh analyses of autograph scores.
At the same time, the expertise gained through the study of Pietro Metastasio allows for a new level of insight into the relationship between text, music, and dramatic structure.
Thus, the summer of 2026 becomes not merely a date to look back at the entire journey, but also the moment when various experiences seem to coalesce into a clearer picture:
the initial rediscovery of Persico, the theoretical reflection centered on Metastasio, the return to Persico’s scores, and the awards and accolades that have accompanied this artistic and cultural endeavor over time.
A summer for reading, listening, and rediscovering
The summer of 2026 thus offers an opportunity to turn this retrospective view into an invitation to read and discover.
It is a time to delve into the letters of Pietro Metastasio, trace the origins of the theory of the “Primacy of the Text,” encounter Mario Persico through photographs, documents, and personal accounts, and engage with his music via his autograph scores.
From Metastasio to Persico, from the eighteenth to the twentieth century—eras, languages, and key figures may change, yet the underlying desire to explore the relationship between word, music, and theater remains constant.
The new edition of *Mario Persico e la sua produzione operistica* (Mario Persico and His Operatic Works) further demonstrates that research does not necessarily end the moment a book is published.
It can continue.
It can uncover a new document, photograph, testimonial, letter, or autograph page capable of opening up fresh perspectives.
And it can lead the scholar to revisit what was previously studied, viewing it with new eyes.
Thus, the three essays become an invitation for the reader to enter the history of opera through its primary sources, meet the key figures involved, and discover how much more there is to tell behind a letter, a manuscript, a photograph, or a musical score.
Three books, three stages of a journey through the history of opera: to learn, to delve deeper, and to rediscover.
And the summer of 2026 could be the perfect time to embark on this journey.
A path developed over the years, matured through research, and now reaching a new milestone. Not a conclusion, then, but a new starting point. Because music does not die when we stop listening to it: it simply waits to be rediscovered.
ESSAYS
📘 Mario Persico and His Operatic Works
New, expanded, and in-depth edition
by Luca Lupoli and Olga De Maio
Online Publishing – available in print and digital formats.
[Discover and purchase the new edition on Amazon Italy](https://www.amazon.it/Mario-Persico-sua-produzione-operistica/dp/B0GQ58G9ZJ)
📘 Mario Persico and His Operatic Works
First edition
[View the first edition]( https://www.libreriauniversitaria.it/mario-persico-produzione-operistica-ediz/libro/9791281242029?utm_source=google-shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=9791281242029&utm_content=Libri%20Italiani&utm_campaign=google-shopping-lib&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21057462955&gclid=CjwKCAjw1vXTBhB-EiwAEKr_kwEKBmY0lZfIg7K4k8PM8EeKyqQpeI2oJvuzQ-HmWD65VM0OGS3U-BoCIOUQAvD_BwE)
📕 The Melodrama of Pietro Metastasio: The Primacy of the Text
by Luca Lupoli
Biographical, bibliographical, and source research by Olga De Maio
Casa Editrice Pagine.
[Discover the essay dedicated to Pietro Metastasio](https://casaeditricepagine.net/product/pietro-metastasio/)
