Mezzotono is an Italian a cappella ensemble from southern Italy which performs with human voices by using no musical instruments but by recreating rhythms, melodies, bass lines and percussion vocally. The Mezzotono band has performed in different countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. They were in Kathmandu in May to perform in the 80th Republic Day celebrations of Italy. The Diplomat Nepal caught up with Fabio Lepore, tenor and founder of the band, to learn about Mezzotono and the role of cultural diplomacy to enhance relations between countries. Excerpts:
Your music beautifully blends traditional heritage with modern global rhythms. How do you protect the authentic soul of your roots while making your music appealing to an international audience?
Our secret lies in treating the human voice as a chameleon. We take classic Italian melodies, which carry the authentic, emotional soul of our heritage, and rearrange them using contemporary vocal percussion and modern harmonies. Because we use no instruments, the cultural roots remain pure and intimate, while the energetic, modern delivery makes it instantly accessible and exciting for an international audience, regardless of language barriers.
Melodies often cross borders and connect people long before formal treaties are signed. How do you view your role as Cultural Ambassadors, and when have you seen your music truly transcend geopolitical boundaries?
We have always believed that before a diplomat speaks, music has already created the handshake. Over our long career, which has taken us to 70 countries across all 5 continents, we have seen firsthand that cultural diplomacy works. We don’t just perform; we share the Italian lifestyle, our joy, our romance, and our humor. We saw this beautifully in places where intense language or political barriers existed. When an audience that doesn’t speak a word of Italian starts laughing, clapping, and singing along with us in perfect harmony, that is the exact moment geopolitical boundaries completely dissolve.
How have the changing narratives, challenges, and resilience of your homeland shaped your lyrics and your overall sound?
Italy is a mosaic of history, contradictions, beauty, and resilience. The elegance of our lyrical traditions meets the joyful, sometimes stubborn optimism of our people and so our sound is deeply shaped by this duality. Our homeland has also taught us the power of irony and self-deprecation. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and our shows are packed with humor. The challenges our country faces remind us of the importance of community and connection, which translates into our music: five distinct voices that must support and rely on one another to create something beautiful.
In diplomacy, multi-stakeholder collaboration is a key factor. In a band, different creative minds must align perfectly. How do you handle creative differences to achieve a single, harmonious musical vision?
Just like in diplomacy, the key is listening. In an a cappella group, if one person shouts louder, the harmony is ruined. We view our creative differences not as conflicts, but as different “sound textures.” We give space to everyone’s ideas, test them, and democratically find the balance. Our rule is simple: the final arrangement must serve the emotional impact of the song, not the ego of the individual singer.
In today’s fast-paced digital world, youth trends change constantly. What is your strategy for keeping deeply-rooted musical storytelling exciting and relevant for the next generation?
The younger generation craves authenticity and high energy. We don’t change the stories, we change the delivery. By mixing humor, theatricality, and beatboxing with traditional storytelling, we show the youth that “heritage” isn’t boring or dusty, it’s alive, dynamic, and fun. When they see five people creating an entire orchestra using nothing but their mouths, it sparks a curiosity that connects them to the roots of the music.
Many global artists are shifting their platforms toward activism. How does your band use its music to raise awareness about pressing issues like environmental protection or heritage conservation?
Our very format, a cappella, is a form of environmental and heritage activism. It is the most sustainable music possible: zero electricity required, zero instruments manufactured, just the human body. By performing traditional Italian songs globally, we actively fight for cultural heritage conservation. We use our platform between songs to talk about unity, respect for cultural roots, and the preservation of the ultimate natural instrument we all share: the human voice.
The music industry is undergoing a massive tech shift, from streaming to digital production. How has this impacted your creative freedom, and how do you ensure your music stays human-centric?
Technology offers incredible tools for reach, but it can also sterilize music. For us, staying human-centric is easy because our art is inherently flawed and beautiful in its humanity. You cannot easily replicate the exact warmth, breath, and micro-imperfections of five live human voices with an algorithm. Digital production helps us share our art globally, but our creative freedom is rooted in the live experience, where the energy of the crowd dictates the performance.
Behind every public figure is a network of family and loved ones. How does your support system help you balance the intensity of touring with your personal life?
Traveling the world is a privilege, but it can be exhausting. It is certainly difficult but our families and loved ones are our anchor. They ground us and remind us of who we are when the stage lights go off. Thanks to modern technology, we stay connected daily, but it is their understanding and unconditional support that gives us the peace of mind to perform with joy on the global stage. We tour for them and with their blessing.
Looking ahead, what is the boldest creative project you hope to bring to life in the coming years, and what enduring message do you want to leave with the readers of The Diplomat Nepal?
Our boldest dream now is to channel all this global experience into a project that bridges our cultural heritage with modern vocal innovation. We deeply want to revisit classical music, particularly rearranging some of the world’s most famous opera arias in our unique a cappella style, stripping away the traditional orchestra to let the human voice take center stage. We are also imagining a further project: create a massive, cross-cultural collaborative project where we arrange traditional songs from different continents.
Our message to the readers of The Diplomat Nepal is that after traveling the entire world, we have proof that in a society that often focuses on division, harmony is always possible if we learn to tune our voices to one another.
As Italy celebrates the historic 80th anniversary of its Republic this week, how do you feel your unique vocal harmonies serve as a diplomatic bridge between the Italian and Nepalese cultures?
It is a profound honor to be in Nepal as Italy celebrates the historic 80th anniversary of its Republic. A republic is built on the voices of its people coming together for a common good, which is exactly what vocal harmony is. Our performance serves as a diplomatic bridge by showing that while Italian and Nepalese cultures have different scales, languages, and histories, our shared human emotions sound perfectly in tune when brought together through music.
We traveled all around the world with our music but it’s the first time we visited a place with a special energy like Nepal. The people, the smell, the mystic atmosphere was an experience unforgettable for us and for sure we want to come back. We visited the historical center of Kathmandu, the monkey temple and Bhaktapur.
Mezzotono has been officially recognized by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAECI) as ‘Ambassadors of Italian Music in the World.’ What does this title mean to you, and how does it influence your approach to performing on the global stage?
This recognition by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is both our greatest pride and our greatest responsibility. It shifted our perspective: we are no longer just representing ourselves as artists, but we are carrying the flag, the culture, and the spirit of Italy. It influences our approach by pushing us to always strive for artistic excellence while remaining warm and approachable, ensuring that every concert feels like an open invitation to experience the heart of Italy.
