La Zeza of Capriglia Irpina (Carnival)

The Carnival that sings

In Capriglia Irpina, a small town in the province of Avellino in Campania, Carnival isn't just about confetti: it's about singing. The Zeza is a popular dialect farce, entirely sung and accompanied by music, which brings a story of star-crossed love, jealousy, and arranged marriages to the square every year. It is considered one of the most authentic examples of Campanian folklore, where popular theater, music, and color merge into a single grand street performance.

A farce born in 17th-century Naples

The origins of the Zeza date back to the second half of the 17th century in Naples, where it began as a grotesque and popular representation of family conflict. In the 19th century, it was even banned for its supposedly licentious content, but it survived in the countryside and spread throughout Irpinia, where it still thrives in several towns today. The Capriglia version is among the most studied, having drawn the attention of scholars of the caliber of Benedetto Croce for years.

The characters of the Zeza of Capriglia

In Capriglia, unlike other Irpinian Zeza performances, the troupe stages five fixed characters:

• Pulcinella, the grumpy father;
• Zeza, the wife;
• Porziella, the daughter in love;
• Don Zinobio, the doctor and suitor;
• The Sailor, the star-crossed lover.

The plot is simple and unchanging, which is precisely its charm: Porziella wants to marry the Sailor, but her father promises her to the doctor, Don Zinobio. All the action is sung, with no spoken dialogue. As in Latin comedy and the tradition of Commedia dell'Arte, all roles are played by male actors, including the female parts.

The quadrille, the dance that ignites the procession

Alongside the singing is the quadrille, a peasant dance of French origin divided into several phases called "figurazioni" (figures) and led by a dance master who heads the procession. It is the most engaging moment of the day: costumed performers dance along the streets, the audience gathers around, and the celebration spreads throughout the town. Even those who don't know the script quickly pick up the rhythm and find themselves clapping along.

A traveling Carnival in Irpinia

The Zeza of Capriglia does not stay confined to its own town. Every year, the troupe goes on tour, bringing the show to the squares of neighboring towns—in recent years San Michele di Serino, Avellino, Grottolella, and Montefredane—before returning home for the grand finale on Shrove Tuesday in Piazza Municipio, where the most deserving "Barzimmello" is awarded and the evening concludes with a gastronomic surprise for everyone.

Keeping the tradition alive

Behind the event is the Non-Profit Cultural Association "La Zeza di Capriglia Irpina", which manages the costumes, music, and oral transmission of the repertoire, in collaboration with the Pro Loco of Capriglia Irpina and under the patronage of the Municipality of Capriglia Irpina. The event is part of the Irpinia Carnival calendar promoted by the Province of Avellino through the Sistema Irpinia portal, which gathers traditional zeze, floats, and dances from across the territory every year.

Capriglia Irpina, beyond the Carnival

Capriglia Irpina is an agricultural village at the gates of Avellino, tied to viticulture and the products of the land. Beyond the Carnival, the local calendar includes celebrations for the patron saint San Felice da Cantalice in May, summer evenings in August, and the Grape Harvest Festival in October, dedicated to wine and typical Irpinian products. A visit during the days of the Zeza allows you to combine popular entertainment with a taste of Irpinian cuisine.