“Cavalleria rusticana” and “Pagliacci” at the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic – original score
“Cav and Pag” – two operas traditionally performed as a double-bill (“Cavalleria rusticana” by Mascagni and “Pagliacci” by Leoncavallo) – open at the Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic on May 10.
The production is staged by Michał Znaniecki. Italian conductor Massimiliano Caldi is Musical Director. The two creatives were the first to work with the original Mascagni’s score, prepared by the Bärenreiter publishing house. The show features no prelude, as it was added after the original publication. The audience will hear new scenes with the choir and notice differences in intermezzo. Based on the original version never been shown before, the staging remains faithful to the composers. We interviewed director Michał Znaniecki prior to the opening, please see here to get more insights.
The cast features, among others: Marcelina Román (Nedda), Gianni Leccese and Luis Chapa (Canio), as well as Mariusz Godlewski (Tonio, Alfio), Wioletta Chodowicz (Santuzza), Nazar Kachala (Canio, Turridu).
Set in an Italian village, “Pagliacci” focuses on the life of a group of circus performers, with the tragic love of the main characters. “Peasant Chivalry” is an explosive mix of emotions: love, passion, betrayal, duel, and finally death, shown against the background of a holy week procession in the Sicilian countryside.
