Cavalleria Rusticana

Cavalleria Rusticana is a opera in an act composed by Pietro Mascagni, on a booklet of Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and Guido Menasci. The booklet is inspired by a news of Giovanni Verga. This opera is by far, the most famous work of the type-setter. It was created in Teatro Costanzi, with Rome, the May 17th 1890.

Characters

Santuzza, a young country-woman
Turiddu, a young peasant
Lucia, the mother of Turiddu
Alfio, a carter
Lola, the woman of Alfio

Creators

Argument: Single act

The scene is held in a sicilian village at the 19th century, the Easter Day. The orchestral prelude opens on the topic of the despair of Santuzza and continues on the serenade that Turridu addresses to Lola, the young wife of Alfio: it is a sicilian song sung behind the curtain. The curtain rises then revealing the place of the market. In the content the church rises while, on the left, one sees the wine shop of Mamma Lucia.

Whereas the bells of the church sound, of the women, apart from the scene, sing the beauty of the day while men, also in the slides, praise the zeal and charms their women. Soon a crowd of men and women gather to attend the mass. They enter the church and, while their voices die out, Santuzza, a young villager, sad and melancholic person, appears then and moves towards the shop of Mamma Lucia. It meets it whereas this one is about to leave to the church and asks him where his/her Turiddu son is. Lucia answers that it left the previous evening to seek wine. But rétorque Santuzza that Turiddu was seen during the night in the village. " And what do you know about my son? " question Lucia then.

Their conversation is stopped by the arrival of Alfio and the tinkling of the small bells of its horse. Alfio merrily sings the joys of the life of carter, in spite of his difficulties. Then, he claims wine with Mamma Lucia. This one answers him whereas Turiddu left to seek some. Alfio is astonished because he saw Turiddu, this morning, near at his place. But at this time rises, coming from the church, the sound of the organ and that of the prayers which throw to knees all those which are on the place. And all, of the same enthusiasm, sing the Anthem of Easter while the village procession penetrates in its turn in the church, leaving Santuzza and Mamma Lucia only outside.

Santuzza épanche then with passion by telling in Lucia the history of its betrayed love: Turiddu which was promised in marriage to Lola before its departure for the army it found on its return married to Alfio; he then became the lover of Santuzza which likes it with the madness. But Lola again stole his/her lover to him and Santuzza crumbles in tears, while being believed cursed. Mamma Lucia, upset by what it has just heard, penetrates in the church in its turn. It is at this time that Turiddu arrives, initially trying to avoid Santuzza. But this one challenges it and its control reproaches him bitterly. The tone goes up very quickly and the quarrel envenime as is occurred Lola, in search of her husband, Warning Santuzza, it finds the means of scoffing it before penetrating in its turn in the church.

Again only, Santuzza and Turiddu take again their argument, made cries and supplications; exceeded, Turiddu hustles with Santuzza violence which crumbles with ground by cursing his/her lover with this hatred, this fury which a passion can only produce.

Alfio leaves the church at this time where has just precipitated Turiddu. Santuzza, insane of jealousy, tells him all then that occurred between his wife and Turiddu. Alfio, dumb-founded, swears revenge and share at once. Santuzza, sudden seizure of a premonitory remorse, follows it, frightened. The scene is then empty and it is large the intermezzo symphonic, impregnated the dark one predicts imminent and now inevitable tragedy.

The mass of Easter is finished and all the villagers leave the church. Lola is in a hurry to return to it but Turiddu retains it one moment and invites everyone to drink. Each one is brightened and Turiddu drinks with all truths in love. At this time, Alfio refuses, in an offensive way, the wine that Turiddu offers to him: " I do not accept your wine; it would be transformed into poison in my estomac". Turiddu carries out whereas Alfio knows all and that after this insult, it can only fight with him.

As wants it the sicilian habit before a duel, the two men embrace themselves and Turiddu then includes/understands the gravity of its situation, while Alfio moves towards the orchard for this duel to the knife. Turiddu calls his/her mother, it has the presentiment of its close death and it asks him its blessing, then it recommends Santuzza to him before leaving towards its destiny. Mamma Lucia, upset, only cries while Santuzza arrives which embraces it. And all at once the place fills up of agitated villagers from where a voice of woman emerges who exclaims: Hanno ammazzato compares Turiddu. Turiddu died. Mamma Lucia and Santuzza crumble by pushing cries of horror and despair.

Analyzes

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