Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci

“The artist is a man, and he must write for men. … and you will see true hatred and its bitter fruit.” In the Pagliacci prologue, Tonio tells us what this opera is about – it seeks to put the reality of life on the stage. This applies for both works, which will now enjoy their first new staging at the Bayerische Staatsoper in 46 years (1978). Together Cavalleria rusticana by Pietro Mascagni and Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo simply exemplify verismo. The basic situation: A woman is unfaithful. Another reveals this to the husband, and he, spurred on by this woman, takes bloody revenge on the lover. Cavalleria rusticana is about Turiddu, who returns to find his old flame Lola again, but she is now married to the carter, Alfio. Turiddu then consoles himself by seducing Santuzza. But the old love is reignited, and Lola betrays her husband, and Turiddu his girlfriend. In Pagliacci, the plot revolves around Nedda and her husband Canio, the leader of a group of comedians. Nedda’s love for him has grown cold, so she turns to the farmer, Silvio. 

The direction team at Francesco Micheli’s side have found a common thread for the two operas, written independently of each other, but often performed together: “We want to construct one single story, the story of a man who in Cavalleria rusticana has lost his roots and in Pagliacci tries to re-establish his original ties in a new society, however fails miserably in doing so.”

Director Francesco Micheli, one of the most original and versatile theatre creators in Italy for decades now, General Manager of the Donizetti Festival in his home town of Bergamo, but previously also with the Opera Festival in Macerata and a regular guest on his country’s most important opera stages and increasingly also around the world, stages at the Bayerische Staatsoper for the first time. His goal: To tell stories on the stage, that have their finger on the pulse of the times. To do so he has been collaborating for many years now with a team of trusted artists and performers, who include stage designer Edoardo Sanchi, costume designer Daniela Cernigliarto and the dramaturge and writer Alberto Mattioli. The conductor is Daniele Rustioni, who has already proven his expertise with Italian opera and far beyond in numerous performances and concerts at the Bayerische Staatsoper.