Organization

Singer

Soprano

Violeta Urmana

Santuzza

Tenor

Vincenzo La Scola

Turiddu

Nicola Rossi Giordano

Contralto

Viorica Cortez

Lucia

Baritone

Marco di Felice

Alfio

Carlo Guelfi

Conductor

Jesús López-Cobos

Stage director

Giancarlo Del Monaco

Set designer

Johannes Leiacker

Costume designer

Birgit Wentsch

Lighting designer

Wolfgang von Zoubek

Chorus master

Jordi Casas Bayer

Vladimir Galouzine

Canio

María Bayo

Nedda

Tonio

Antonio Gandía

Peppe

Angel Odena

Silvio

Teatro Real de Madrid

Cavalleria rusticana -  (Rustic Chivalry)

Madrid

Spain

Teatro Real

For over a century, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci have been performed together, because they are a perfect fit. In fact, they go together so well that the prologue of Pagliacci is often performed before the first scene of Cavalleria Rusticana, to introduce both operas, as is the case here. Both are known for some short arias which are often selected for recitals. And both use traditional operatic techniques, with a defined interchange of expressive melodies and narrative passages. But it is the terse, flowing way used by Mascagni and Leoncavallo  to establish the scene, and the manner in which  both composers clearly define the importance of the dramatic events in what appears to be real time,  that are  the crucial distinguishing features in the composition of these first, iconic examples of verismo.

Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci by Mascagni from Teatro Real, performed at Teatro Real, Madrid, 2007. Directed by Giancarlo del Monaco, conductor Jesús López Cobos. Starring Violeta Urmana (Santuzza), Vincenzo La Scola (Turiddu), Dragana Jugovic (Lola), Vladimir Galouzine (Canio), María Bayo (Nedda) and Carlo Guelfi (Tonio). Subtitled are German, English, Spanish, French and Italian.

At the Teatro Real de Madrid, a fiery version of "Cav and Pag" directed by Giancarlo del Monaco. A production exalted by the perfect cast chosen for this performance, with Violeta Urmana as Santuzza and Maria Bayo as Nedda.

Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci are two operas in the verismo style, often performed together because of the similarities they display. The two works tell stories of jealousy and honor killings, which are highly reminiscent of the Pirandello plays. It is actually the Mascagni opera that Francis Ford Coppola chose for the end of The Godfather 3, one of the most emblematic films ever released about the Sicilian mafia. Giancarlo del Monaco's staging is a reference, and has been touring all around Europe: Bonn, Oslo, Torino, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Paris...

The story
Cavalleria Rusticana:
A Sicilian village on Easter Sunday. Turiddu has become engaged to Santuzza, but he carries on his affair with Lola, his former lover. Santuzza, very affected by his behaviour, confesses to Mamma Lucia, Turiddu's mother, that her son is unfaithful to her and involved with Lola. Santuzza tries to persuade Turiddu to leave Lola and return to her, but he violently rejects her proposal. Enraged, Santuzza tells Alfio, Lola's husband, about Lola's affair with Turridu. His honour offended, Alfio kills Turiddu in a knife fight.

I Pagliacci:
Tonio, Beppe, Canio and his wife Nedda form a company of itinerant performers. One afternoon before their show opens, Tonio lets Canio know that his wife is seeing Silvio, a local fellow, who plans to escape with her that night. Taking advantage of the play's plot, a one act farce about infidelity and jealousy, Canio tries to make Nedda reveal the name of her lover. The contemptuous attitude she shows towards him, and the audience's laughter at what they believe is part of the show, infuriates Canio so much that he pulls out a knife and stabs her on stage. Silvio, who is in the audience, rushes to her aid but he also falls victim to Canio's knife.

Public

Rustic Chivalry

Pagliacci

Approved

Watch full performance here: Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci (2007)(2009)

Cavalleria Rusticana; Pagliacci - Preview Clip

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew