(H)itWeek in New York. Francesco Del Maro's Vision One Year Later

Operation: rejuvenation. Italian music is no longer defined by operettas and mandolins; they are only black and white photos, faded and tarnished. Musical notes and staves have been given a new life in the Bel Paese thanks to talented artists who are musically creative and sensitive, and who can bring together seemingly different and distant cultures. The music scene in Italy is very broad, without one genre dominating over others. This variety and energy is well-known at home but not abroad. For this reason, and for the second consecutive year, (H)itWeek, a festival showcasing the best of contemporary Italian music, was organized in the U.S. Unlike last year, concerts will take place in two major American cities, Los Angeles and New York. There are eight venues lined up for the festival which will take place October 9–13 in New York and October 13–17 in L.A.

Ludovico Einaudi, Elisa, Negrita, Roy Paci & Aretuska, Après la Classe, and Le Bianche Alchimie will perform their sophisticated, heady, and global sound during Hit Week, which will connect everyone together by dissolving borders, prejudices, and barriers.

Roy Paci & Aretuska have been influenced, musically speaking, by South American, Caribbean, and Arab cultures and the result is an incredible mix of Sicilian melodies from their homeland and abroad. Après la Classe have combined their Salentine roots with French music, creating immediate and catchy songs. The title of their latest album goes straight to the heart with “Mammalitaliani” which triumphs as a rich “couscous” of Italian rhythms, pop, and reggae triumphs.


From the beginning Elisa has been singing less in Italian and more in English. The American public, though, has only known her since 2008 with the release of her album “Dancing” and her performances at Joe’s Pub in New York, the temple of alternative music that has been the launch pad for many foreign artists.

If the 33 year-old Elisa, despite her young age, has been a successful part of the scene for over a decade, Le Blanche Alchimie are still in the early years of their incredible careers. The young duo consists of Jessica Einaudi and Federico Albanese who have earned a loyal following. This band from Milan admirably represents the independent Italian music scene – minimalist, nocturnal, with songs often sung in French that evoke decadent, haunting, dramatic landscapes, and that are balanced with classic French chansons without choruses.