Vian Award

The award dedicated to the author of «Luna Rossa»

The Vian Award is the signature event through which Roccabascerana, a small town in the Valle Caudina near Avellino, keeps the memory of Antonio Viscione alive—the musician better known by his stage name, Antonio Vian. He composed the music for Luna Rossa, the 1950 hit with lyrics by Vincenzo De Crescenzo, which became one of the most beloved and frequently covered Neapolitan songs in the world.

Vian’s signature also graces classics such as 'O ritratto 'e Nanninella (1955), L'ultimo raggio 'e luna (1957), Suonno a Marechiaro (1958), and Settembre cù me (1960). This catalog captures the golden age of Neapolitan melody, which the Irpinian award periodically brings back to the stage before an audience of locals and enthusiasts from neighboring towns.

Antonio Vian’s Irpinian roots

The bond between the composer and Roccabascerana stems from the Viscione family, who hailed from the village and where Vian spent his summer holidays. According to local lore gathered by Valle Caudina scholars, the music for Luna Rossa was composed and refined in one of the town's high-altitude districts. This heritage inspired an award that is more than just a musical tribute: it is how a village of a few thousand inhabitants, spread across the main center and the hamlets of Cassano Caudino, Squillani, Tuoro, and Zolli, expresses its own identity.

Music, awards, and gatherings

The heart of the festival remains its musical program, curated around the classic Neapolitan repertoire and its performers. The 2021 edition featured a tribute to Enrico Caruso, while the 2024 edition saw a symphonic evening performed by the Sinfonica Orchestra Mater, conducted by maestro Claudio Ciampa, in the main square of Roccabascerana.

Surrounding the main concert is a calendar of events that has evolved into a multidisciplinary experience over the years:

• Award ceremonies honoring figures from the worlds of culture, music, and the local territory;
• Talks and presentations on the history of Neapolitan song and the Valle Caudina;
• Convivial gatherings and aperitifs in the square with musical selections;
• Guided tours of the village and its scenic viewpoints.

From music to the table: the «Food Experience» award

Since 2024, the Vian Award has expanded into the world of food and wine with the Food Experience section, designed to link the composer’s name to the promotion of Irpinian products. The inaugural award went to Michelin-starred chef Gennaro Esposito, during a closing evening featuring a cooking show by chef Gabriele Piscitelli. The same program included open days at local farms with tastings by reservation, a wine masterclass at Cantine Bellaria, the cultural meeting Ghiottoni si nasce, and discussions with food creators and influencers.

That edition was part of the Illumina la notte project by POC Campania, which networked several towns in the Valle Caudina, with the municipal administration led by Mayor Roberto Del Grosso and the Roccabascerana Pro Loco overseeing the organization.

The 2026 edition

The official calendar of the Irpinian Pro Loco associations, published by Unpli Avellino, schedules Vian 2026 for July 11 and 12, 2026, organized by the Pro Loco di Roccabascerana APS. Unlike the spring editions of previous years, the event moves into the heart of the Irpinian summer, when the town is bustling with returning emigrants and visitors, and outdoor evenings are at their longest.

Roccabascerana and the Valle Caudina

Located just over twenty kilometers from Avellino, at the foot of the Partenio mountains and overlooking the plain that descends toward Benevento and Caserta, the town of Roccabascerana retains the typical profile of villages in inland Campania: stone houses, a central square that becomes the town’s living room in summer, and an agricultural landscape of vineyards, hazelnut groves, and olive trees. Attending the Vian Award is a chance to discover this corner of the province, far from mass tourism, where a world-famous song continues to be told like a family story.