Music of Campania

As one moves away from Naples in almost any direction, there is prominent musical activity to be found. These include, for example, the restoration and use of a number of the so-called "Vesuvian villas" in and near Ercolano (ancient Herculaneum), a string of once luxurious villas built in the 18th century and severely damaged by aerial bombardment in World War II. The most prominent of these is the Villa Campolieto, already restored, open and the site of chamber concerts by the Alessandro Scarlatti association. The most important musical activity on the islands in the Bay of Naples is on the island of Ischia on the premises of the Mortella Gardens and Villa, the site of the William Walton Foundation, which hosts a yearly music and opera workshop. The Flavian amphitheater in Pozzuoli, one of the greatest such structures in the ancient world, has undergone extensive restoration and is the site of outdoor summer concerts.