Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni & Pagliacci by Ruggiero Leoncavallo

We went to see Cav/Pag at the Met Tuesday 1/30/07 to celebrate Dolora Zajick's Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana and see Licitra play both Turiddu and Canio. These Verismo Operas are about life of the lower classes. Cavalleria is about a bad 4some with Santuzza, Turiddu, Lola and Alfio. Turiddu (Santuzza's man) is in love with Lola (Alfio's wife), and Alfio murders Turridu in the end. Dolora sang Santuzza with stamina. The role is high for her though, and it sounded like the voice was right on the cords rather than in the body. Hopefully the role will settle into her instrument and will become as astounding a role as her Amneris' and Azucena's are. Licitra had a raspiness and a little abrasiveness in his big delicious tone. Nevertheless, he was charming. The Metropolitan Opera Chorus entered and exited sleepily to and from the stage as if in a stupor. A few patrons fell asleep during the Cavalleria due to the actionless static pace of the opera.

Pagliacci is about travelling actors. Nedda is Canio's wife but is having an affair with Silvio another actor in the troupe. Canio finds out about the affair and stabs Nedda to death during a show and then stabs Silvio to death - all this in front of the audience played out passionately by the Metropolitan Opera Chorus. As Nedda, the purple spinto Soprano of Krassimira Stoyanova flowed out effortlessly and full of ciaroscuro. The top was a flash of passionate Leontyne Price colors and the bottom was totaly in line with what you heard up top. She was all one voice and wonderful to listen to and watch. Licitra sang Vesti la Giubba (Put on the costume) as if he were trying to bust his guts out. I did not enjoy that kind of singing very much.