Ataraxia

The Profile

Ataraxia is an Italian neoclassical/dark wave group from Modena, active since 1985. The core lineup features Francesca Nicoli (vocals), Vittorio Vandelli (guitars), and Giovanni Pagliari (keyboards). Their music blends medieval and Renaissance colors with ethereal, neofolk, and classical elements across a large discography.

Publicly known: Italian group from Modena, active since 1985; core members are Francesca Nicoli, Vittorio Vandelli, and Giovanni Pagliari. From the review: Il Fantasma dell'Opera (1996) expands their ethereal/medieval palette with symphonic and operatic tones, includes a cover of Kate Bush's "Wuthering Heights", and features multilingual vocals (Latin, Italian, French, English).

A detailed, positive take on Ataraxia’s 1996 album Il Fantasma dell’Opera. The review highlights the group’s ethereal folk foundation with medieval/Renaissance hues enriched by symphonic and operatic elements. Francesca Nicoli’s expansive vocal range is praised, and the album’s Kate Bush cover fits organically into the concept. Minor criticism targets synthetic textures and drum machine use.