Pietro Mascagni
(7 December 1863–2 August 1945)
Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjÉ›Ëtro anˈtÉ”Ënjo ˈsteËfano masˈkaɲɲi]; December 7, 1863 – August 2, 1945) was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music. Though it has been stated that Mascagni, like Leoncavallo, was a "one-opera man" who could never repeat his first success, this is inaccurate. L'amico Fritz and Iris have been popular in Europe since their respective premieres. In fact, Mascagni himself claimed that at one point Iris was performed in Italy more often than Cavalleria (cf. Stivender).
Operas
| Opera | Premiere or date of written | Libretti available |
|---|---|---|
| Cavalleria rusticana | 1890, May 17 | italian, english, russian |
| Zanetto | 1896, March 2 | italian, english |
