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Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945): Cavalleria Rusticana There is no doubt that Pietro Mascagni’s reputation rests primarily on Cavalleria rusticana , a...

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Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945): Cavalleria Rusticana

There is no doubt that Pietro Mascagni’s reputation rests primarily on Cavalleria rusticana, a pioneering example of verismo, realism, in Italian opera. Born in 1863 in Livorno, the son of a baker, through the intervention of a rich patron he was able to study at Milan Conservatory as a pupil of Ponchielli, sharing rooms with Puccini, five years his senior, but soon left to embark on a career as a composer and conductor. In 1885 he had his operetta Il re a Napoli (The King in Naples) staged by a provincial touring company, but his great success came with triumph in the 1888 one-act opera competition of the publisher Sonzogno and the staging of his award-winning Cavalleria rusticana in Rome in 1890. He followed this in 1891 with L’amico Fritz, a gentle comedy in a pastoral setting, but in contrast to the preceding work. The Intermezzo is included in the present release, together with the overture to I Rantzau, also set in Alsace and successfully mounted in Florence in 1892. The Intermezzo from Mascagni’s operatic version of Heine’s, Guglielmo Ratcliff, a Scottish tragedy of murder and revenge, is followed by two excerpts from the exotic Iris of 1898, a forerunner, in its Japanese setting, of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. From Iris comes the evocative introductory Hymn to the Sun and dances. Le maschere, staged in simultaneously in seven Italian cities in 1901, was a generally unsuccessful attempt at revival of elements of the commedia dell’arte. Mascagni continued to search for inspiration in new subjects and completed his last opera, the tragedy Nerone, in 1934. This was staged at La Scala the following year, with the support of the government, with whose policies the new work, a reaction against current modernism, and the composer were in agreement. Mascagni remained the symbol of a particular cultural epoch until his death in 1945.

On the departure of Toscanini from La Scala, an expression of his disagreement with the policies of Mussolini, Mascagni assumed duties there and a continuing connection with the now ruling party. The fiftieth anniversary of the first staging of Cavalleria rusticana was the occasion of particular celebration, represented by the present recording under the composer’s direction. The work is based on an 1883 play by the Sicilian-born writer Giovanni Verga, a drama translated, among other writings of Verga, by D.H.Lawrence.

In the anniversary performance the rôle of Turiddu was taken by a singer generally seen as the heir to Caruso, Beniamino Gigli. Born at Recanati, the son of a shoemaker, he had made his operatic début in 1914 at Rovigo in La Gioconda. He made his first appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1920 as Faust in Boito’s opera Mefistofele, now established in an international career, while at home he enjoyed the particular favour of Mussolini. After the war he was able to re-establish his international career with triumphant appearances throughout the world, until his retirement in 1956, the year before his death. He is partnered by Lina Bruna Rasa, a soprano who had made her operatic début at Genoa as Helen of Troy in Boito’s Mefistofele and been engaged by Toscanini for La Scala, where she continued to appear during the following decade. She appeared in Mascagni’s Nerone in 1935 and had an international career with particular success in verismo repertoire. The Italian baritone Gino Bechi sings Alfio. He had made his operatic début at Empoli four years earlier, when he sang Germont in La Bohème. He was associated with La Scala from 1939 to 1953, establishing himself as a leading dramatic baritone. He retired in 1961. Mamma Lucia is sung by the mezzo-soprano Giuletta Simionato, who had made her first appearance at La Scala a year earlier as Beppe in L’amico Fritz. She continued her association with La Scala and in an international career until her retirement in 1966.

[1] Mascagni’s Introductory Speech

Dear listeners, I am Pietro Mascagni and I am talking to you to tell you that my Cavalleria rusticana is now fifty years old and because of my memories and the many kind messages I have received, I have not been able to resist the invitation of the distinguished company His Master’s Voice and have decided to present the opera in a complete recording for the first time under my personal direction. My creation, which is brought to life by the most celebrated singers and by orchestral and choral forces that have no rival in the world, will remain a much better image of me than a signed photograph. And I, who have signed so many autographs, have never provided one more gladly, because it is the most vivid and one that can represent better than anything the dual nature of my career, as a composer and as a conductor of my music. I salute you cordially, before raising my baton.

Synopsis

CD 1

[2] The Prelude presents three melodies that have later importance in the opera. After the opening, suggesting the church, themes associated with Santuzza’s pleas to Turiddu are heard.

[3] The introduction to the opera continues with the sound of Turiddu, with a harp accompaniment, daring to sing of his love for Lola, even if it brings his death.

[4] The curtain rises to reveal a village square in Sicily. To the right, in the background, is a church, and to the left the inn and house of Mamma Lucia. It is Easter morning and the church bells are heard. As the day dawns, people gather, the church doors open and they enter. The voices of the women are heard welcoming the orange-blossom and the coming of spring. They are joined with those of the men, now resting from their labour in the fields.

[5] The square is now empty and Santuzza comes in, approaching the house of Mamma Lucia, calling to her to find out where her son Turiddu is. Mamma Lucia is unwilling to tell her, but Santuzza begs her. Lucia tells her that he has gone to fetch wine from Francofonte, but Santuzza says that someone saw him in the village the night before. Lucia invites her in, but Santuzza refuses, since she is an outcast, a sinner. Lucia asks if her son Turiddu is in any trouble, but Santuzza does not like to tell her what she knows.

[6] The sound of the crack of a whip is heard and of carriage bells, as Alfio, the village carter, appears, happily praising his work, and joined now by a group of men who echo his sentiments. He goes on to celebrate the beauty of his faithful wife, Lola, who loves him and is faithful to him. The women enter, joining in Alfio’s joyful song.

[7] The people disperse, some going into the church and others leaving in different directions. Mamma Lucia compliments Alfio on his happy temperament. He asks her if she has yet received the wine she was expecting, and she tells him that Turiddu has not yet returned. Alfio, however, had seen Turiddu early in the morning in the village, near his own house. Santuzza interrupts to prevent Lucia saying more, while Alfio leaves to prepare himself for church, from which voices are now heard singing the Regina coeli, while others, outside the church, busy themselves with their own devotions. They are joined by Santuzza and Lucia. Finally those who are still outside in the square go into the church, leaving Santuzza and Lucia alone. Lucia asks Santuzza why she told her to be silent.

[8] Santuzza tells Lucia of the situation, how Turiddu was in love only with Lola, before he went to be a soldier and how, when he returned, Lola was married to Alfio. Turiddu had then turned to her for consolation and she returned his love. This excited Lola’s jealousy and she stole Turiddu’s affections, leaving Santuzza alone and desolate. She asks for Lucia’s prayers in her effort to persuade Turiddu to return to her.

[9] Lucia goes into the church, as Turiddu returns, surprised to see Santuzza waiting for him and unwilling to talk to her. Santuzza asks him where he has been and he tells her he has been to Francoforte, but she accuses him of lying, since Alfio saw him near his own house early in the morning. Santuzza pleads with him, since Lola has lured him away from her with her scheming. He tells her that her jealousy is groundless, but she insists that, whatever happens, she will love him.

[10] They break off, as Lola’s voice is heard, singing a little song in praise of an iris, more beautiful than the angels in heaven. She comes into the square and suddenly stops, asking Turiddu if he has seen Alfio and if he and Santuzza are having a service of their own in the square. Santuzza tells her, pointedly, that God sees everything and only those free from sin should go to Mass. Lola is confident of her fitness and leaves Santuzza and Turiddu alone again.

[11] Turiddu is angry, but Santuzza continues to plead with him, begging him not to abandon her. He will not listen and declares he will never forgive her. She threatens him and in fury he throws her down to the ground and goes into the church. Santuzza curses him in her anguish.

[12] She is joined by Alfio, happily unaware of the situation. Santuzza tells him that Mass is nearly over and that Lola is in the church with Turiddu. She goes on to reveal that, while he has been working, Lola has been with Turiddu, who had betrayed her. Alfio threatens her, if she is lying, but Santuzza assures him that she is telling the truth. Alfio swears to be revenged, his love for Lola turned to hate. As they go out, Santuzza continues to express remorse for what she has done, while Alfio seeks vengeance.

CD 2

[1] The orchestral Intermezzo summarises what has gone before and suggests what is to come.

[2] The people leave the church and Lucia goes into her inn. Men greet each other, and the women do the same, ready to enjoy a day of rest from work. Lola and Turiddu come out of the church together. He asks her not to go away without a greeting, but she tells him that she is going home to find her husband. He calls to his fellow villagers to join him in drinking, and they all gather outside the inn.

[3] Turiddu sings a drinking-song and toasts Lola and her admirers, as they all join together in celebration, finally interrupted by the arrival of Alfio.

[4] Alfio greets the company and Turiddu invites him to join them, but Alfio refuses the proffered beaker, which would be poison to him. Turiddu empties the beaker on the ground, while Lola is persuaded by the other women to leave the men alone, and they go. Turiddu asks if Alfio has anything to say to him, but Alfio says there is nothing to say. Turiddu awaits Alfio’s invitation, and Alfio suggests an immediate meeting. They embrace and Turiddu bites Alfio’s right ear, a sign that the challenge is accepted. Turiddu, however, has regrets, for if he dies, Santuzza will be left alone, but he will triumph. Alfio cuts short his talk and tells him that he will wait for him behind the orchard.

[5] Turiddu calls to his mother and when she comes out, he tells her that he has drunk too much and will take a walk in the open air. First, though, he seeks her blessing and asks her, if he should not return, to look after Santuzza, as if she were her own daughter. Lucia asks him what he means, but he makes his drinking the excuse, still seeking her prayers and a kiss, before he goes. He runs out, and Lucia calls after him. Santuzza enters, to be embraced by Mamma Lucia. She is followed by villagers, anxious and agitated, until a cry is heard from the distance, announcing the death of Turiddu. Women come in, in fear, while Santuzza swoons and Lucia also faints, supported by the other women, as the curtain falls.

Keith Anderson

Disc 1

Cavalleria rusticana

(more info)

Performed by: Victor Orchestra Royal Opera House Orchestra, Covent Garden Stockholm Symphony Orchestra Stockholm Royal Opera Orchestra RCA Victor Orchestra Belgian Radio and Television Philharmonic Orchestra New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Swedish Radio Orchestra Moscow Symphony Orchestra Pierre Rameau Orchestra Catania Teatro Massimo Bellini Orchestra Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra Nils Grevillius Orchestra Montreal Opera Orchestra Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra San Francisco Opera Orchestra Milan La Scala Orchestra Studio orchestra Russian Philharmonia Metropolitan Orchestra Romanian Opera Orchestra, Bucgarest
Composed by: Sten Frykberg Enrico Caruso Pietro Mascagni
Conducted by: Gaetano Merola Enrico Sivieri Victor Trucco Giulio Setti Carlo Sabajno Steven Mercurio Klaus-Peter Hahn Lorenzo Molajoli Pierre Rameau Renato Cellini Nils Grevillius Michael Halasz Ondrej Lenard Alexander Rahbari Tullio Serafin Joseph Rescigno Antonio de Almeida Constantine Orbelian Ivan Anguelov Mircea Popa
Lina Bruna-Rasa, soprano
Ebe Ticozzi, mezzo-soprano
Ferruccio Tagliavini, tenor
Kitty Wilson, harp
Pia Tassinari, mezzo-soprano
Licia Albanese, soprano
Beniamino Gigli, tenor
Gino Bechi, baritone
Maria Marcucci, mezzo-soprano
Giuseppe Di Stefano, tenor
Stefka Evstatieva, soprano
Francis Lapitino, harp
Giacomo Aragall, tenor
Alzbeta Michalkova, contralto
Maria Zamboni, soprano
Thomas Harper, tenor
Zinka Milanov, soprano
Margaret Roggero, mezzo-soprano
Dusolina Giannini, soprano
Galina Gorchakova,
Claramae Turner, contralto
Vittore Veneziani, choirmaster
Yannick Nezet-Seguin,
Marc Hervieux, tenor
Robert Merrill, baritone
Marcello Giordani, tenor
Maria Arghiracopulos, mezzo-soprano
Salvatore Cottone, piano
Anna di Mauro, mezzo-soprano
Maria Callas, soprano
Rolando Panerai, baritone
Carol Brice, contralto
Diana Soviero, soprano
Anna Maria Canali, mezzo-soprano
Jussi Bjorling, tenor
Eduard Tumagian, baritone
Cornel Stavru, baritone
Recording date: Week ending 5 December 1919

Introductory Speech by the Composer - 1:30
Preludio - 2:37
O Lola, ch'ai di latti la cammisa - 6:23
Gli aranci olezzano - 8:43
Dite, Mamma Lucia - 4:38
Il cavallo scalpita - 2:57
Beato voi, compar Alfio...Regina coeli - 8:10
Voi lo sapete, o mamma - 6:37
Tu qui, Santuzza? - 4:20
Fior di giaggiolo - 3:32
Ah!lo vedi, che hai tu detto? - 6:46
Oh! il Signore vi manda, compar Alfio! - 5:50

Disc 2

Cavalleria rusticana

(more info)

Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville)

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Performed by: Latvian National Symphony Orchestra Victor Orchestra Canadian Opera Company Orchestra Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra Frankfurt Brandenburg State Orchestra Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra London Philharmonic Orchestra Rome Opera Orchestra Hungarian State Opera Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Wurttemberg Philharmonic Orchestra Berlin State Opera Orchestra New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Milan La Scala Orchestra Dresden Staatskapelle Studio orchestra English National Opera Orchestra Torino Teatro Regio Orchestra RAI Symphony Orchestra, Milan Metropolitan Orchestra
Composed by: Pietro Cimara Lawrence Tibbett Nathaniel Shilkret Pietro Mascagni Gioachino Rossini Arturo Toscanini
Conducted by: Lodovico Zocche Josef A. Pasternack Will Humburg Bruno Campanella Rudolf Kempe Alberto Erede Lorenzo Molajoli Rosario Bourdon Mario Bernardi Gabriele Bellini Michael Halasz Pier Giorgio Morandi Alexander Rahbari Tullio Serafin Percy Pitt Richard Bradshaw Heribert Beissel Vincenzo Bellezza David Parry Alexandrs Vilumanis
Bruno Pola, baritone
Paolo Montarsolo, bass
Alberto Carusi, baritone
John McCormack, tenor
Nicoletta Curiel,
Aaron St. Clair Nicholson, baritone
Elina Garanca, soprano
Friedemann Rohlig, bass
Hao Jiang Tian, bass
Luciana Serra,
Arno Schellenberg, baritone
Feodor Chaliapin, bass
Richard Tauber, tenor
Luisa Tetrazzini, soprano
Thomas Allen, baritone
Nazzareno de Angelis, bass
Titta Ruffo, baritone
Maria Bayo, soprano
Tito Schipa, tenor
Benno Ziegler, baritone
Sonia Ganassi, mezzo-soprano
Franco de Grandis, bass
Jennie Tourel, mezzo-soprano
Studio pianist, piano
Alan Opie, baritone
Ingrid Kertesi, soprano
Bruce Ford, tenor
Andrew Shore, bass
Robert Merrill, baritone
Della Jones, mezzo-soprano
Lado Ataneli, baritone
Risto Lauriala, piano
Kazmer Sarkany, baritone
Laszlo Orban, baritone
Ferenc Korpas, bass
Maria Callas, soprano
Tito Gobbi, baritone
Ewa Podles, contralto
Mario Sammarco, baritone
Angelo Romero, bass
Michael Schade, tenor
Roberto Servile, baritone
Rockwell Blake, tenor
Enzo Dara, bass
Alain Trudel, sackbut
Ramon Vargas, tenor
Marion Talley, soprano
Rinaldo Alessandrini, harpsichord
Allan Monk, baritone
Aurelio Faedda, bass
Russell Braun, baritone
Recording date: 1911

Il Barbiere di Siviglia: Overture - 7:37

I vespri siciliani

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Performed by: Hungarian State Opera Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Wurttemberg Philharmonic Orchestra Berlin State Opera Orchestra Europa Symphony Russia Philharmonia Cologne Radio Orchestra
Composed by: Giuseppe Verdi Pietro Mascagni
Conducted by: Lodovico Zocche Pier Giorgio Morandi Alexander Rahbari Tullio Serafin Johannes Wildner Bruno Seidler-Winkler Helmut Froschauer Constantine Orbelian David Parry Wolfgang Grohs
Sondra Radvanovsky, soprano
Miliza Korjus, soprano
Hao Jiang Tian, bass
Igor Morozov, baritone
Lado Ataneli, baritone
Janez Lotric, tenor
Maria Callas, soprano
Franz Hawlata, bass
Rosa Ponselle, soprano
Alastair Miles, bass
Recording date: 15-24 February 1994

I Vespri Siciliani: Overture - 9:00

L'amico Fritz

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Performed by: Milan Symphony Orchestra London Philharmonic Orchestra Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin State Opera Orchestra Milan La Scala Orchestra Studio orchestra
Composed by: Pietro Mascagni
Conducted by: Argeo Quadri Rainaldo Zamboni Carlo Sabajno Ondrej Lenard David Parry
Rina Gigli, soprano
Pia Tassinari, mezzo-soprano
Beniamino Gigli, tenor
Janice Watson, soprano
Emily Herrera, soprano
Bidu Sayao, soprano
Barry Banks, baritone
Recording date: 17 Sept 1951

L'Amico Fritz: Intermezzo - 4:27

I Rantzau

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Performed by: Berlin State Opera Orchestra
Composed by: Pietro Mascagni

I Rantzau: Overture - 4:14

Guglielmo Ratcliff

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Performed by: Canadian Opera Company Orchestra Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin State Opera Orchestra San Francisco Opera Orchestra
Composed by: Pietro Mascagni
Conducted by: Gaetano Merola Ondrej Lenard Richard Bradshaw
Ferruccio Tagliavini, tenor
Pia Tassinari, mezzo-soprano

Guglielmo Ratcliff: Intermezzo - 5:05

Iris

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Performed by: Milan Symphony Orchestra Montreal Opera Orchestra Berlin State Opera Orchestra Studio orchestra
Composed by: Enrico Caruso Pietro Mascagni
Conducted by: Josef A. Pasternack Joseph Rescigno
Beniamino Gigli, tenor
Giuseppe Di Stefano, tenor
Salvatore Cottone, piano
Antonio Tonini,
Diana Soviero, soprano
Rosanna Carteri, soprano
Recording date: 21 March 1921

Iris: Inno al sole - 10:55
Iris: Dances - 3:26

Le Maschere

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Performed by: Berlin State Opera Orchestra
Composed by: Pietro Mascagni

Le Maschere: Overture - 6:57

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Composer(s):
Mascagni, Pietro; Rossini, Gioachino; Verdi, Giuseppe

Orchestra(s):
Berlin State Opera Orchestra; Milan La Scala Orchestra

Artist(s):
Bechi, Gino; Bruna-Rasa, Lina; Gigli, Beniamino; Marcucci, Maria