Francesco and Maria met in Rome in 2023—not by swiping right, not through a mutual friend, but by singing together in a traditional songs workshop before they even exchanged names.
In this conversation, we explore their journey from theatre to how they came together to form Nìula—a duo that offers modern reinterpretations of the traditional oral music of Southern Italy and the wider Mediterranean basin.
Drawing from a repertoire of polyvocal songs, they compose original music that bridges the ancient and the contemporary, and connect us across time, place, and language.
They lead concerts and singing workshops across Italy & online for both amateurs and professionals, focusing on the connective power of sound, the awareness of breath, and the rediscovery of each person’s unique voice.
🎧 Join us at La Befana’s Table and step into the mystery of Nìula’s music—and the story of two people finding each other through song.
📬 Get in Touch / Learn More
🌐 Website: niula-cantidalsud.com/online-workshops-niula
📸 Instagram: @niula.trad
✨ Special Discount for La Befana’s Table listeners: Maria & Francesco are offering a discount on their upcoming singing workshops.
6 sessions
1st April - 6th May 2026
Wednesdays, 10:30 am - PDT / 1:30 pm - EDT / 7:30 pm - CEST
Details are linked below—step into the sound and your own voice!
💬 Table Talk
Francesco and Maria talked about how singing these ancient songs gives them a sense of freedom and connection—how does expressing yourself through your voice, in any form, give you a sense of freedom?
Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s explore the power of our own voices together.
#BeBefana Tee-Shirt Campaign
Always be yourself. Unless you can be befana. Then #BeBefana
Epiphanies, don’t arrive all at once. If we are paying attention, we find that they whisper to us gently over time. The #BeBefana campaign was born from listening to that whisper.
To #BeBefana is to believe that small, faithful acts matter. To sweep the floor, light the fire, offer welcome, leave a gift—and trust that in the darkest of days love persists, that our stories are never fully written, and that there is always room for a whimsical & wondrous plot twist.
10 percent of profits will be donated to the Young Center For Immigrant Children’s Rights.
