Lasting Magic

GIUSEPPE PENNISI was at the
Italian premiere in Ravenna of
Mercadante's 'I Due Figaro'

With Saverio Mercadante's I Due Figaro, a five year project has been completed. Under Riccardo Muti's guidance and artistic direction, jointly carried out by the Salzburg Whitsun Festival and the Ravenna Festival, the project focused on the revival of operas by the 'Neapolitan School'. The five operas presented -- one each year -- in Salzburg and Ravenna (as well as touring to many other theatres) are, by and large, works that had disappeared from regular programming around the 1840s; their common matrix is that they were composed by Neapolitan-trained musicians or had their most important successes and influence in Naples.

The opera is scheduled for several performances at the Teatro Real of Madrid (which is coproducing it) and may be toured in Italy and Spain. Before reviewing the performance, as seen in Ravenna at the Italian première on 24 June 2011, a few words must be said about the 'Neapolitan School' and Saverio Mercadante...

RAVENNA

ITALY

RICCARDO MUTI