Teatro Grattacielo Presents the U.S. Première of Pietro Mascagni's 1921 Opera of the French Revolution

IL PICCOLO MARAT

Teatro Grattacielo will celebrate its 15th Anniversary with the North American Première of Pietro Mascagni’s dramatic opera, Il Piccolo Marat at Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center on Monday, April 13, 2009, conducted by Teatro Grattacielo’s Music Director David Wroe.

The performance will also feature the participation of over 100 choristers, combining members of the Cantori New York Chorus and the Long Island University Chorus, Mark Shapiro, Director, with the Teatro Grattacielo Orchestra.

Tickets are all on the Orchestra Level: $75 - $50 - $25 - $15
available at the Box Office or through CenterCharge at 212-721-6500

Tickets may also be purchased from Lincoln Center here, online.

Scene from Act One of the 1921 premiere of the opera

The large cast includes tenor Arnold Rawls, Turkish bass Burak Bilgili, soprano Paula Delligatti and baritone Andrew Oakden. See more about the cast here. The story concerns a young man who rescues his sweetheart and his mother from the clutches of a petty revolutionary who is determined to take revenge on aristocrats. The opera features massive choral forces, dramatic scenes of great beauty, and tender moments of love that are the rival of any Verismo opera. This is a work that deserves to be heard, and will be the only chance to hear it in the New York area, performed by a full symphonic orchestra and world-class singers, conducted by a maestro in full command of these revolutionary resources.

Pietro Mascagni around the time of "Il Piccolo Marat"

Considered by many critics to be Mascagni’s greatest achievement, Il Piccolo Marat was a huge success at its Rome premiere in 1921, receiving over 50 curtain calls. The opera went on to be produced throughout Italy, and in Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Alexandria, Barcelona, Paris and at La Scala. You can hear historic recordings here, from 1920's performances of Il Piccolo Marat.

Written during - and about - a period of great anxiety, destruction, and change, not unlike our own recent times, Il Piccolo Marat’s message is the triumph of hope over despair, of love over hatred, and of good over evil. It confirms the possibility of transformation in spite of the whirlwinds that might surround us.

Learn more about the opera at the Teatro Grattacielo website.

Teatro Grattacielo is extremely pleased and honored to present this great masterpiece to New York in its long-overdue North American Première.

Teatro Grattacielo: "Maybe you haven't heard your favorite opera yet!"

2 Riverside Drive, 2C | New York, NY 10023 | 212-595-7127 | email: verismo@grattacielo.org

Review of Zanetto CD at Audiophile Audition

Steven Ritter has written a new review of the recently published Zanetto recording (with Jennifer Larmore, conducted by Peter Tiboris) at Audiophile Audition. Overall the reviewer loves the opera and he writes of Larmore:

"I have a great deal of trouble imaging the title role sung better than Larmore does here."

Indeed I think that Larmore is the best part of this recording. It is a shame that Eilana Lappalainen, as Sylvia, was not up to the challenge.

Mascagni Course in Sydney this October

I recently got the following from Murray Dahm in Sydney:

"I thought you would like to know that I will be teaching a course on the operas of Mascagni in Sydney, Australia starting this October. It will run for 7 two hour sessions over seven weeks and examine all the operas, Si, and the orchestral, song and minor works that I have located. The courses I run are for the WEA (Workers Education Association) and generally have 40 students (mostly retirees) per course"

If anybody around Sydney has any interest, please contact me and I will put you in touch with Murray.

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.