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Nicola Di Capua (79), born in southern Italy, has been living in Switzerland for 62 years. Together with his first wife, he had the opportunity to buy an old farmhouse in Embrach ZH for 190,000 francs.
«I admired this old house with a garden from the very beginning and I still love it to this day. “It has a fascinating atmosphere,” enthuses Di Capua in his interview with Blick. A construction historian friend estimated the house was about 500 years old, based on the beams.
Own theater in the garden
Di Capua, who earned his money as an unskilled laborer at a young age and later as a self-employed electrical engineer in Switzerland through distance learning, innovated and transformed almost everything himself. He acquired much of his craftsmanship knowledge himself.
In 2003, Di Capua purchased another property, the former Embrach office building with adjacent land and service area. “I was lucky. I was the only bidder. No one was interested in the listed building,” says Di Capua with a smile. There are now four flats in the house, which the Italian also transformed and now rents out.
In the old riding stable, Di Capua realized the dream of himself and his second wife, Gabriela Bergallo, to have their own small theater where concerts and, more recently, children’s theater performances were held. “I have always consumed culture. I love art, I have always enjoyed going to concerts and theater performances, and I met Gabriela at a concert,” says the cheerful Di Capua.
Children’s rooms are now guest rooms
The heart of the couple’s home is the living room with the old tiled stove, the large dining area with bar and the antique stove on the ground floor. “The kitchen is Nicola’s kingdom,” says Bergallo. He has mastered the “art of simple cooking”, as revealed in his cookbook of the same name, with local products and simple dishes. A sample of the producer’s own Italian olive oil, which he sells with his son Thomas, of course, is available during Blick’s visit to the hospitable and friendly couple.
The artistic couple agree that things have always been a bit chaotic for them. The three sons have already grown up and left the country. The middle floor, where children’s rooms used to be located, now contains guest rooms where artists from abroad will perform at Embrach or the nearby “Teatro di Capua”. There is also room for relatives and friends from Gabriela Bergallo’s native Argentina or Di Capua’s Italian relatives.
In the attic, the couple’s bedroom is home to the stunning hanging bed; A gift from the children and Gabriella made by young carpenters for Nicola’s 60th birthday. What his son Thomas jokingly calls his “love swing” means, for the 79-year-old man, a cradle for himself and his wife. “The child inside me is still there. The rocking cradle is an original thing that imitates the movements of the expectant mother and provides familiarity and security to newborn babies,” Di Capua says philosophically.
Wild park with cozy places
The couple spends time in the secluded garden whenever they can; He enjoys spending time with his relatives, friends and artists here. The estate where Di Capua’s properties are located covers an area of over 4,000 square meters. The wild park with old fruit trees and flowers is the couple’s favorite place. Gabriela Bergallo: “It is an incredible privilege to own a magnificent property with your own theater in the garden.”
His son Lucien, who lives abroad with his family and earns his living as an actor and director, is also happy to return to his family’s home. “Recently, when we were here on holiday, he said: No place is as beautiful as our home,” Papa Di Capua says proudly. As can be understood, he wants to live with his wife in his simple house, which has its own charm, for a long time and has no plans for the future. “I don’t think that far ahead. I see myself as immortal,” the witty senior concludes with a wink.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
