For the initiated “L’Amico Fritz” is far more than a somewhat obscure successor to the one-hit wonder of “Cavalleria Rusticana” which, in 1890, had famously crowned Mascagni before he was King (to paraphrase his own words). It rather stands as a vividly orchestrated bucolic clad in the musical jargon of the giovane scuola with its chromatic shifts and tonal ambiguity {…}
Hudson River Opera is set to present a performance of “L’Amico Fritz” on Dec. 2, 2022 at Holyrood Episcopal Church on West 179th Street in New York City. The showcase will star Choon Lee, Sujung Kim, Cesar Lozada, Karmesha Peake, Christopher Trujillo, Samuel Flores, and Nadia Briones. The opera will be conducted by William Lewis with Choong Lee directing; Yul {…}
On November 14, 2021, New York’s Teatro Grattacielo presented a semi-staged production of Pietro Mascagni’s “L’Amico Fritz.” Unlike his hit, “Cavalleria rusticana,” Mascagni’s second opera orbits the far reaches of the standard repertoire. I give the company credit for reviving the somewhat charming opera, but there were misfires in the musical execution and elsewhere that marred the production, leaving me {…}
AUTUMN ARRIVES Lolita Valderrama Savage Oil-on-canvas, 40×40 inches *From a private collection. Courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Aureo Sales, New York USA. Teatro Grattacielo and Camerata Bardi Vocal Academy have announced a unique collaboration with artist Lolita Valderrama Savage on “Tableaux of Amico Fritz.” Savage’s first international group exhibit took place at the Palazzo Strozzi in 1975 and she has {…}
Opera Holland Park has unveiled its 2021 season which will feature four total operas from the standard repertory. The season is set to begin on June 1, 2021 with new productions of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro,” Janacek’s “The Cunning Little Vixen,” and Mascagni “L’Amico Fritz.” The company will also be reviving the 2018 staging of Verdi’s “La Traviata.” Casting {…}
We all know “Cavalleria Rusticana,” the great masterpiece of Pietro Mascagni, who was born on Dec. 7, 1863. Unfortunately, that’s all most people in the opera world and outside of it, know about the Italian composer. It’s actually quite unfortunate, given that “Cavalleria” was his very first opera and that he would go on to write 15 total, his final {…}