Ruggero Leoncavallo experienced the joy of his first opera being a resounding hit that unfortunately would be a millstone around his neck by which all of his other operas would be judged, and on this week’s Sunday Opera (11/8 3:00 p.m.), we’ll hear a performance of that opera, “Pagliacci,” from the Opera Festival of Chicago.
In this classic verismo opera that seems to have been written as a result of Leoncavallo seeing Mascagni’s “Cavalleria Rusticana,” art and life are parallel.
Canio (Jonathan Burton) is the jealous leader of a commedia dell'arte troupe, who tragically murders his unfaithful wife, Nedda (Michelle Alie Drever), and her lover, Silvio (Jonathan Wilson), on stage during a performance of their play which is about the fickle Columbine and her flirtations with Harlequin (Beppe) (Jerek Fernandez). Canio is provoked into action by the jealous Tonio (Franco Pomponi) who is spurned by Nedda and is seeks revenge.
Emanuele Andrizzi conducts the Opera Festival of Chicago Orchestra & Chorus
Since today’s opera is relatively short, it gives us the chance to enjoy one of Leoncavallo’s lesser-known works, “La Boheme,” which was written concurrently with the Puccini version and had its premiere in 1897. It was initially well-received, but Puccini’s became much more popular, and Leoncavallo eventually rewrote his version as “Mimi Pinson” in 1913.
The story of Leoncavallo’s version is basically the same: it still deals with the same group of “Bohemians,” however, it focuses more on Musette and Marcello and the rather disruptive nature of the Bohemians.
The stellar cast in this recording includes Alexandrina Milcheva as Musette, Lucia Popp as Mimi, Franco Bonisolli as Marcello, Bernd Weikl as Rodolfo, Alan Titus as Schaunard, and Raimund Grumbach as Colline. Heinz Wallburg conducts the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Bavarian Radio Chorus.
We’ll have just a bit more time at the end of our afternoon for a piano piece by Leoncavallo entitled Cortege de Pulcinella performed by Marco Sollini.
