Cavalleria Rusticana

by Pietro Mascagni, tr. by Joseph Kreines

Cavalleria Rusticana (“Rustic Chivalry”) is an opera in one act by Italian composer Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945). It was premiered on 17 May, 1890 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, Italy. The libretto, written by Giovanni-Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci, was based on the short story of the same title by novelist Giovanni Verga. Mascagni submitted Cavalleria Rusticana as an entry in a contest for the best unpublished one-act opera, sponsored by the music publisher Casa Sonzogno. It won first prize, and it was considered a great success at its first performance; however, none of Mascagni’s 14 subsequent operas met with great success. Due to its brevity, Cavalleria Rusticana is often paired with another one-act opera, most often Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci.

In the opera, two sweethearts, Lola and Turiddu, are separated by Turiddu’s military service. In his absence, Lola marries a local man (Alfio). When Turiddu returns he is angry and begins an affair with a local girl to arouse Lola’s jealousies. Despite their relationships to others, Lola and Turiddu resume their love. When Alfio discovers this, he challenges Turiddu to a duel, and Turiddu is killed.

Pietro Mascagni was born in Livorno, Italy, on 7 December 1863. He began studying music with Alfredo Soffredini in 1876, and began composing in 1879. In 1881 his cantata In Filanda won first prize at a musical contest in Milan. Cavalleria Rusticana, his most famous work, was completed in 1889. None of his subsequent works ever gained its popularity. As a conductor, Mascagni worked at La Scala in Milan. He died on 2 August 1945.

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Details

Catalog#: NN05-007
Duration: 2:45
Difficulty: Moderate

Instrumentation:

Flute
Oboe
Bassoon I-II
Clarinet I-II-III
Alto Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
Contrabass Clarinet
Alto Sax I-II
Tenor Sax
Baritone Sax
Trumpet I-II-III
French Horn I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Harp (Piano)

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