The young musician warms the hearts and brings a message of hope to Rome and Italy from his terrace
Every evening Jacopo Mastrangelo goes on his terrace overlooking one of the most magnificent squares in the world. Piazza Navona, in the heart of Rome, has always been seen bustling with Romans and tourists and it seems surreal to see it empty, but this is the effect of the lockdown. However, thanks to Mastrangelo, the square regains its magic on a daily basis. And his guitar “sings” so much to the heart of Romans and Italians alike, that Rome mayor, Virginia Raggi, invited him to play from the roof of the Campidoglio.
Son of a musician, Fabio, at 19, he is currently studying to get his high school diploma, but he always had a passion for music.
He started to play guitar when he was only a child. Now, his videos are becoming a phenomenon.
It all began with the willingness to take part in the many musical flashmobs that attempted to raise the spirit of the country from balconies and terraces. The willingness to entrust his electric guitar with a message of hope. His first video, recorded by his father, reached 10,000 shares in 24 hours and reached about 40 million views. In it, he interpreted ‘Deborah’s Theme’ by Ennio Morricone, the soundtrack of ‘Once upon a time in America’ (1984) by Sergio Leone. Then he continued. Every day, for 50 days so far, a song to accompany the sun setting on the roofs of Rome and the many Italian flags visible on the square.
When he played ‘Sally’ by Vasco Rossi he conquered the heart of the author. The Italian rockstar shared the video writing “Congratulations to the young guitarist with the breathtaking view of Piazza Navona that yesterday “sung” ‘Sally’ with the guitar. Very suggestive.”
His performances had such a heartwarming effect on such a large public that the news reached the Capitoline Hill seat of the Municipality of Rome. That is when a collaborator of Raggi contacted Mastrangelo to invite him to perform a concert on the roof of the Campidoglio. There, introduced by the Mayor, he performed ‘Debora’s Theme’ and ‘Tema d’Amore’ by Morricone and ‘Nessun Dorma’ by Puccini.
Ilona Catani Scarlett