A journey into the heart of Italian passions with Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci
You’ve probably already heard this opera without knowing it: the Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana was featured in the ending of Coppola’s Godfather. Experience this emotion live during the upcoming performances at the Dijon Opera House!
Ready to dive into Southern Italy?
Two shows in one night !
Two passionate stories where everything can change in the blink of an eye: Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci are two short operas, two masterpieces filled with intense passion, love, and jealousy.
Created within two years (1890-1892), Mascagni and Leoncavallo’s powerful works are emblematic of the verismo movement, which brought new life to Italian opera at the time.
For vero means truth, everyday life, far from the gilded palaces and the powerful: at last, the people, their souls and hearts, their broken dreams, are taken seriously.
Actors herself, director Silvia Paoli knows how to make the truth of the stage immediately apparent to the audience. No luxurious palazzos or frills involved here: just Sicilian and Calabrian villages, street performers... and lives turned upside down by everyday tragedies. Silvia Paoli immerses us in a poignant realism tinged with raw emotions. Just as they were contemporaries of their audience when the opera was first performed, her Turiddu and Nedda speak to us of today’s reality and of neglected neighborhoods where life is harsh.
Associate conductor of the Dijon Opera, Débora Waldman will bring the Dijon orchestra and choir to life, joined by the Montpellier National Opera Choir and Orchestra.
Here are some reactions from the press following the performances of October 3rd and 5th at the Montpellier National Opera Orchestra:
"[The updated version] imagined by Silvia Paoli for the ‘Cav/Pag’ diptych is, in our opinion, a model of success without any misinterpretation, highlighting the enduring evils of our societies. "
Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci | Montpellier
- Concert Classique
“Highly involved in the staging, the choir, whether acting or watching the action, brings out the moving sensitivity of the musical score.”
Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci | Montpellier
- Olyrix
Would you like to learn more about these two great classics of Italian opera? Maybe you already got your tickets and want to prepare for your visit?
We invite you to uncover the secrets of these works through a range of accessible and informative resources:
- A video introduction to Cavalleria rusticana & Pagliacci. Historical context, the verismo movement, musical excerpts: you’ll have everything you need to understand these works!
- A podcast version, bringing to you a listening guide to discover and analyze several key excerpts from the two verismo operas. This will give you a better understanding of the authors’ intentions and the characters’ stories.
Coming soon
- To read, a conversation with Silvia Paoli, who talked to us about her world, as well as exclusivity, religiosity, and living paintings...
Photo © Frédéric Stéphan
... thanks to these insights, you will become an expert on these two great classics of verismo and Italian opera!