From Naples….With Love! is a sumptuous feast of Italian musical delicacies, dished up with generous servings of panache and sheer joy.

Etta d’Elia, who hosts, welcomes, explains, and sings with an extraordinary range—from playful and sultry to glass-rattlingly operatic—is such a confident and charming entertainer that she makes the State Theatre Courtyard seem like everyone’s backyard. There wasn’t a shy eye in the house, and the audience settled in instantly and comfortably, clapping, cheering, and having a grand old time from start to finish.

On the menu for the evening, an array of choice Neapolitan songs are performed, each treated with a jazz and/or Latin flavour. From It’s Now Or Never through to I’m Crazy and the evergreen Funiculì, Funiculà, each song receives a detailed explanation of its background, many of which come as real eye-openers. Etta imbues her summaries with such evocative descriptions that you feel transported to Naples’ narrow streets and myriad cafés. Quite enchanting.

The band is tight, slick, and can whip out sizzling solos at the drop of a hat—which did indeed occur! A hat was thrown back on stage, landing fair on the pianist’s head without him missing a beat. A truly international outfit, they hail from Italy, Greece, Chile, and Iran, and they attack these songs with verve and whimsical humour. In particular, the keyboardist pulls out all the stops, while his henchman plays some exquisite sax and clarinet solos. Top stuff indeed.

The show comes with the added bonus of two special guests, on accordion and saz respectively, to add flourishes of colour to the marvellous musicians at work.

And then there’s the cheese—wow!

A top night of entertainment, fun, and sheer class, From Naples….With Love! is an absolute winner.