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The Segmento Tarantella Festival is organised by Segmento Foundation, a not-for-profit association with the mission of engaging with the community through projects and events that value collaboration, diversity, cross-culturalism and connection with our land and history.
The Segmento Tarantella Festival proudly supports the Diversity and Disability (DnD) progam, part of the Migrant Resource Centre North Wes, and work together to ensure the festival is fully accessible to people with disability and the wider community.
Accessibility is key to participation, inclusion, sharing and personal development.

Upcoming events
SEGMENTO TARANTELLA FESTIVAL 2025
​Segmento Tarantella Festival includes a series of events, workshops and musical activities from the 18 of October till 30 October 2025.
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Check the program for more details on dates, locations and tickets.
FREE EVENT!
FREE EVENT!
Meet the Performers
Artists from all over the world will perform at Segmento Tarantella Festival.
Concerts, workshops, and off-stage roving performances will be held by selected artists.
Headline act

Sabatum Quartet is one of the most innovative folk-world music groups to emerge from Southern Italy. Formed in 2005 in Calabria’s Savuto Valley, the group blends traditional Calabrian music—especially the tarantella—with global genres like flamenco, tango, rock, reggae, and even electronic music. Their name pays homage to the Sabatum (Savuto) River, symbolizing their deep roots in local culture.
The ensemble began as a trio and quickly grew to a seven-member group, each musician contributing unique influences and experience. Their sound is marked by bold arrangements, vocal harmonies, and rhythmic experimentation, offering a fresh take on Italy’s rich folk heritage.
Sabatum Quartet has released several acclaimed albums, including Margiu Profumato, Esse Q, and Sangue & Latte, and has toured internationally across Argentina, Canada, Germany, and Belgium. Their music often addresses social issues like migration and identity, making their performances not only engaging but meaningful.
The group is known for its high-energy live shows, wide appeal, and commitment to cultural storytelling. With over a decade of experience, hundreds of concerts, and a growing international fan base, Sabatum Quartet continues to redefine Southern Italian folk for new generations.

Roberto Bozzo
A versatile artist, Roberto Bozzo began his musical journey at the young age of 15, joining the band K-byte as a singer and guitarist. He spent many years playing in the indie rock scene, touring extensively and recording four albums. In 2005, he co-founded Sabatum Quartet with two fellow musicians, and has since performed as lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, bouzouki, mandolin, tambourine, and diatonic accordion). With nine albums to their name, the group reinterprets the roots and cultural identity of Calabria through a modern lens. Roberto has recently released his debut solo album as a singer-songwriter, showcasing his multilingual talent—composing and performing songs in English, Spanish, Italian, and Calabrian dialect. His work reflects his skill as a composer, arranger, and instrumentalist. On stage, he is known for the energy and passion he brings to every performance.

​Antonio Ungaro
A co-founder of the Sabatum Quartet alongside Bozzo and Marrelli, Antonio Ungaro contributes as a songwriter, arranger, vocalist, and instrumentalist, playing mandolin and guitar. By profession, he is a secondary school teacher of Law and Economics, but his lifelong passion lies in Calabrian folk and ethnic music. His musical roots stretch from traditional serenades and festive Christmas “strenne” performances to the revival of ancient melodies passed down through generations. Driven by a deep love for Calabrian ethnomusicology, Antonio also contributes original compositions to the group’s repertoire. He has been involved in all nine of the band’s albums, helping shape their distinctive sound and spirit.
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Elvira Andreoli
Italian-Australian Folk Music Singer and Performer, Elvira takes pride in singing songs from the folklore of Calabria, Sicily, Campania, Puglia, Napoli, Veneto, Emilia Romagna and more. Elvira Andreoli is also Musical Director of two choirs: La Voce Della Luna Italian Women’s Choir and Coro Veneto Italian Men’s Choir, both based in Melbourne.

OMADOS
Omados Band, representing the rich musical heritage of Greece, eagerly anticipates contributing to the festival's cultural tapestry. Their performance aims to showcase the beauty and diversity of Greek music, adding a unique flair to the festivities while celebrating the shared values and traditions we hold dear. Omados favourite music instruments include violin, gaida and tsambouna (bagpipes), clarinet, laouto (lute), oud and various percussions.

Lingua Madre
Italian Folk Choir was founded by singer songwriter Kavisha Mazzella AM in February 2023
It is an unauditioned choir of Italian immigrants and thier familily members who sing songs from all regions of Italy
plus new compositions that reflect their migration experience to Australia.

Trieste Marrelli
Co-founder of the Sabatum Quartet, Trieste Marrelli began performing at the age of 8, playing the Eâ™ soprano flugelhorn in his local band. He holds a degree in Wind Orchestra Composition and Conducting, and is an accomplished composer and arranger for orchestral music. Alongside Roberto Bozzo and Antonio Ungaro, he writes and arranges much of the group’s repertoire. Trieste has worked with various ensembles across genres, but ultimately immersed himself in ethnic music to help restore Calabria’s true musical and cultural identity. With Sabatum Quartet, he has toured for over 20 years throughout Italy and internationally, dedicating his artistry to the rediscovery of Calabrian heritage.

Rosa Mazzei
Rosa Mazzei, musician and writer, holds degrees in Flute, Music Education, and Foreign Languages. Her work as a musician and teacher has taken her to perform in numerous cities in Italy and abroad (Oman, Argentina, Canada, Belgium, Germany). She performs as a stable duo with Flute and Guitar, and is part of the "Alarico Flute Ensemble". Since 2005, she's been a member of the ethnic-pop music group "Sabatum Quartet", with whom she has recorded 8 albums. Currently, she teaches Transverse Flute in secondary schools.

Mare Profondo Duo (Deep Sea)
Born in 2023 from a spontaneous fundraiser jam for East Timor, MARE PROFONDO unites ARIA Award–winner Kavisha Mazzella AM and Italian guitarist-composer Rosario De Marco. Without a single rehearsal, their first performance sparked instant magic — a standing ovation and the start of a new musical journey.
Blending Italian folk roots with fresh Australian pathways, their sound is cinematic, heartfelt, and borderless. In 2024 they performed at the prestigious Perth International Arts Festival, with a return already locked in for 2026. They’ve also shared the stage at the launch of poet Mariano Coreno’s The Long Voyage and are set to appear at the Tarantella Festival in October 2025.
Kavisha Mazzella AM (Ischia/Napoli heritage) is an award-winning singer-songwriter, cultural champion, and storyteller through song.
Rosario De Marco (Salerno) is a globally-minded guitarist and composer, with a 40-year journey that has seen him perform on RAI TV and open for Zucchero and Omara Portuondo.
Together, they are MARE PROFONDO — two rivers meeting in deep waters, creating music beyond borders.

Viva Cu Sona
Hailing from Melbourne with roots in Reggio Calabria, Pasquale Spirlì and Matteo Arena, the dynamic duo behind Viva Cu Sona, are revitalizing Calabrian folk music in Australia. they blend traditional instruments like the organetto and accordion with modern flair, captivating audiences both live and online. Their passion for the tarantella bridges generations, celebrating cultural heritage through rhythm and dance.
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Casa d'Abruzzo Choir
The Casa d’Abruzzo Choir, founded in 2005, celebrates 20 years of sharing traditional Italian folk songs. With male and female voices, we bring these songs to life through rich harmonies and storytelling, connecting with audiences and honouring our Italian heritage.
MATE
Feature act

The Melbourne African Traditional Ensemble aka MATE is a powerhouse collective of master musicians from across the African continent, based right here in Melbourne. With griots, percussionists, and instrumental virtuosos from Mali, South Africa, and Ghana, the ensemble offers an immersive journey into Africa’s rich and diverse musical heritage.
Their performances weave together intricate rhythms, soaring vocals, and the timeless sounds of the mbira, kamalengoni, calabash, and talking drum—music that is deeply rooted in tradition yet alive with the vitality that ignites modern audiences. In a uniquely Australian expression of cultural connection, the ensemble also features Jason Tamiru, a proud Yorta Yorta man with mixed Aboriginal and Ethiopian heritage, on Yidaki (Didjeridoo). His playing bridges the First Nations sounds of this land with the ancestral traditions of Africa, creating a powerful dialogue that resonates across cultures.
For Segmento Tarantella Festival, MATE brings a high-energy, uplifting performance that is both a celebration of cultural heritage and a call to dance. Just as the Tarantella carries the heartbeat of Southern Italy, this ensemble channels the spirit of Africa—bridging continents, generations, and stories through the universal language of music.
And there's more
All the activities carried out at the Festival, including storytelling, workshops, shows and exhibitions, aim to present the history, the music and dances of the Tarantella and the Pizzica as a source of knowledge, values and identity, a generational bridge and element of connection between ancient cultures like the Greek and the Italian ones.
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During the Festival, two sets of artistic activities will be performed:

MULTIMEDIA SCREENINGS
During the Festival, multimedia exhibitions will be projected across the various venues and activities. During some of the events, the screening of the short documentary on traditions of tarantella in Calabria and Overseas, "Echoes of Tradition: the Tarantella Journey".
by VMC, COASIT and SEGMENTO FOUNDATION

WORKSHOPS
A series of workshops (music, dance and tamburello sessions) and other cultural activities are held during the festival week encouraging communication and curiosity between CALD communities in Australia, and promoting awareness of cultural belonging among all generations.
by CALABRIA CLUB and SEGMENTO FOUNDATION
Pre festival workshops
In the weeks leading up to the festival, a series of workshops will be held at primary schools, at the Italian Social Associations and at the Assistance Centers for elderly people. Pre-Festival Workshops and other cultural activities will be implemented in bilingual elementary schools and in elderly centers located in areas with a high density of Italian citizens or citizens of Italian origin.
DANCE WORKSHOPS
CiccioNucera will conduct a workshop to teach the basic steps and training of the dance retracing its origins and cultural values.
MUSIC WORKSHOPS
Roberto Bozzo of Sabatum Quartet will be holding a music workshop to teach children the main features of Tarantella music and how to play a traditional song using traditional music instruments.
TAMBOURINE WORKSHOPS
Ciccio Nucera, Italian dancer and percussionist, presents the basic percussion techniques based on the rhythmic signature of the more traditional sounds of the Tarantella.

Past year Festivals

COMING SOON
ECHOES OF TRADITION: THE TARANTELLA JOURNEY
A SHORT DOCUMENTARY
Segmento Foundation is about to launch a new exciting project: a documentary on the importance of cultural traditions and folklore in an increasingly modern, multicultural, lively and diverse world.
Stay Tuned for more!
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