The beautiful La Mision de San Miguel in Patagonia was transformed into a cabaret in the south of Italy on Saturday night, as Newpoli took the stage.

(Use arrows above to view more photos)

Sponsored by the Santa Cruz Foundation for the Performing Arts, the seven members of Newpoli commanded the stage with dynamic and high-energy Italian folk music that had the audience clapping and cheering.

In 2003, this group came together in Boston where they all attended Berklee College of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music. As artists, their goal is to present a new spin on the music from the regions of Campania and Puglia, integrating a wide variety of styles such as Tarantella-Pizzica, Villanella and the Neapolitan Canzone, encompassing music from the Middle Ages to the 19th century.

And as if that weren’t enough, they add traditional dances, leaving the audience mesmerized by the passion and vitality of the performers.

The two female vocalists, Carmen Marsico and Angela Rossi, were captivating, and the instrumentalists, particularly the percussionists, de Fabio Pirozzolo and Mike Daillak demonstrated rhythmic precision that pulsed throughout the exuberant performance.

Rounding out their traditional sound were accordion player, Roberto Cassan; a classical guitarist, Bjorn Wennas; and a double bass player, Kendall Eddy.

Because Italian Folk music, with the exception of a small number of Neapolitan songs, has not received its deserved attention and recognition, either in Italy or abroad, Newpoli, guided by their passion for playing and researching these seldom played traditional styles, introduces to the audience, often for the first time, the joy and beauty of this music while recounting the ancient stories and rituals described in the lyrics

Newpoli is the second of the five concerts being presented by SCFPA this season, titled the “Benderly Concert Series�-New World Music,” in honor of Virginia Benderly whose generous support has been critical in bringing these unique musical experiences to the Santa Cruz County community. The next concert, scheduled on March 14, will feature Maeve Gilchrist, songwriter and Celtic harpist. More details on this and other upcoming events can be found at the SCFPA website, scfpapresents.org.