The passion by many Italians for the Elizabethan Era, for things Shakespearean and minstrels, is to an Englishman, a little odd, but rewarding. One such minstrel, is a musician from the deep south of Italy, now nestled in the Roman town of Lincoln in England, and he is Enzo Puzzovio.
Brought up in the baroque city of Lecce in Puglia, a city of intense summer heat, he transformed himself from his homeland and created a professional name to become an Elizabethan Era personna. In his words ‘I’m a multi-instrumentalist and singer and also use the name Dante Ferrara (created mainly because the average British couldn’t manage a name with three Zs!)’. His selection of Ferrara with three R’s quizzically may be more suited to the linguistic talents or interests of the British?
Enzo been a professional musician, researcher and entertainer since 1984. He longed for a mandolino to add to his instrumental gallery. Having played a lute created by Antonio Dattis, also from Puglia, he sought an instrument Antonio made from mammoth ivory, reflecting the original instrument produced from ivory. This recreation which brings the mammoth back to life in fine musical tone, was first played at Vaiano in Toscana in 2011, which formed part of the inaugural re-creation of the Italian Lute Society.
In England, the Elizabethan Era Dante ‘performs in costume for a wide range of events: concerts, corporate events, school visits, TV and radio work, museum talks, weddings and he also performs a comedy show using historical music’.
Dante is sometimes a strolling musician and on others a concert performer, singing bawdy songs for excitement and romantic ones for the more sensitive ladies. He has drifted from Elizabethen Era into performing creations from Restoration England of the latter half of the 17th century, possibly to justify ‘playing the cittern and hurdy gurdy and singing eye-wateringly humorous songs’ including a Purcell gem that relates to Dante’s R’s.
His performances have attracted great acclaim from a wide range of appreciators across society’s spectrum - not just Elizabethan Era afficianados.
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