New CD of Zanetto on Elysium Recordings

A new CD of Zanetto on Elysium Recordings is now available.

Mascagni: Zanetto
L'amico Fritz — Intermezzo
Cavalleria rusticana — Intermezzo

Peter Tiboris, conductor
Eilana Lappalainen, Soprano (Sylvia)
Jennifer Larmore, Mezzo-Soprano (Zanetto)
Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic

Elysium, conductor Peter Tiboris and the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic orchestra had already brought to us a recording of Silvano about ten years ago.

After an initial listening, I find the performance quite good, especially Jennifer Larmore's Zanetto. The sound quality is excellent, certainly superior to that of previous recordings of the piece. This allows you to fully enjoy the light and refined orchestration.

The CD comes with a few bonuses:

• An orchestral version of the prelude (which was written for an a cappella chorus), which we had already heard on the Kicco recording with Denia Mazzola
  
• The intermezzo from L'amico Fritz
• The intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana

The well-packaged CD comes with a full libretto, biographies, and an essay by John W. Barker, "Mascagni Moods".

Performance of Zanetto in Faenza, Italy on February 14, 2008

Italian web sites seem to often announce performances online at the last minute. A single performance of Zanetto will take place tomorrow, Thursday February 14, 2008 at 9 PM (21:00) the Teatro Sarti in Faenza, Italy.

This is part of an event called "San Valentino al Teatro Sarti " ("Valentine's Day at Teatro Sarti"), which seems to include some music and a buffet. The performance will be done without an orchestra and simply a piano accompaniment. The performers are as follows:

Manuel Mensà: soprano
Ottavia Sisti: soprano
Pietro Mariani: conductor, piano accompaniment

Tickets cost EUR 20 and are available online at http://www.manuelsoprano.com/.

Performances of Amica in Rome in October 2008

A new production of Amica will be given 6 performances at the Teatro del'Opera in Rome from October 7 to October 12, 2008. Antonino Fogliani will conduct two alternating casts.

There is currently no indication that the performances will be in the original French, unlike the August 2007 Martina Franca performances, which means that we will most likely get the inferior Italian text.

However, the music itself remains beautiful and powerful, and it is important that an opera as rarely performed as Amica be performed in a major opera house.

(Original news submitted by Remo Mazzetti)

December 7 was Mascagni's birthday

Friday, December 7 was Mascagni's birthday: he would have been 144 years old. To celebrate, I am listening to a live performance of Zanetto, a real favorite of mine. This minature opera is a real gold mine of beautiful melodies, and close to musical perfection. One of my favorite parts: Silvia sending Zanetto "Dunque, di là, dove splende l'aurora !" and the sheer melancholy of the musical comment which follows.

Upcoming release of Zanetto on Elysium records

I just got notice that Elysium Records will release a new CD of Zanetto. Here is the press release:

October 3, 2007

Elysium Records is proud to announce its upcoming release of Mascagni’s Zanetto.

Peter Tiboris leads the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmony, with acclaimed soloists Jennifer Larmore as Zanetto and Eilana Lappalainen as Sylvia.

Last June at Carnegie Hall, Maestro Tiboris conducted the first New York performance of Zanetto since 1902. And this past summer, he presented the opera’s Greek premiere on the island of Syros as part of the Festival of the Aegean.

Zanetto will be released in Spring 2008 and also includes intermezzi from L’amico Fritz and Cavalleria rusticana.

Elysium Records is distributed worldwide by Qualiton Imports, Inc.

Zanetto is a wonderful little opera, which premiered on March 2, 1896, while Mascagni was the head of the Liceo Musicale G. Rossini in Pesaro. With only two female singers and an opening chorus (which is even omitted in the recent DVD with Denia Mazzola), it is quite easy to stage and perform.

The Italian libretto is an almost direct translation from a French text by François Coppée entitled Le passant. The piece is a conversation between Zanetto, a young troubadour in search of love, and Silvia, an experienced courtisane, taking place during a peaceful evening outside renaissance Florence. Zanetto is unaware of Silvia's complex life, but manages to trouble her enough that she considers keeping him around. She finally realizes that she would only make him unhappy and sends him back on his way to Florence. While there is absolutely no action taking place, just psychological development, the opera develops a fascinating musical atmosphere and has been a favorite of mine for a long time. Zanetto deserves to be performed more often.

There are at least five recorded versions of Zanetto which have been (more or less) available over the years, with various levels of sound and artistic quality. A definitive edition of this wonderful little opera has yet to appear, and I do hope that this version will be a welcome addition to the discography.

Upcoming release of Zanetto on Elysium records

I got notice that Elysium Records will soon release a CD of Zanetto. Here is the official press release:

October 3, 2007

Elysium Records is proud to announce its upcoming release of Mascagni’s Zanetto.

Peter Tiboris leads the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmony, with acclaimed soloists Jennifer Larmore as Zanetto and Eilana Lappalainen as Sylvia.

Last June at Carnegie Hall, Maestro Tiboris conducted the first New York performance of Zanetto since 1902. And this past summer, he presented the opera’s Greek premiere on the island of Syros as part of the Festival of the Aegean.

Zanetto will be released in Spring, 2008 and also includes Intermezzi from L’Amico Fritz and Cavalleria rusticana.

Elysium Records is distributed worldwide by Qualiton Imports, Inc.

Opening of the Teatro Goldoni season

The Teatro Goldoni of Livorno (Mascagni's hometown) is opening its 2007/2008 season on Thursday, October 25, 2007 at 8:30 PM with an event in the series "Around Mascagni - Towards the Mascagni Festival", an evening entitled "Mascagni's operas and the female character".

The evening will propose great scenes from operas by Pietro Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana, I Rantzau, Guglielmo Ratcliff, Silvano, Iris, Le Maschere, Isabeau, Sì, Lodoletta, and Nerone.

The conductor will be Matteo Beltrami. Mise en scène, sets and costumes are by Alessio Pizzech. The performance is a new production of the Teatro Goldoni Foundation of Livorno.

Tickets: call 0586 204290
Information: call 0586 204211 - fax 0586 899920
Web site: http://www.goldoniteatro.it/

Reference: Saimicadove.it