Unmistakeably Italian

After several decades of oblivion — when only works by Puccini and very few Italian composers of that period were programmed — there is a revival of Italian operas of the nineteen thirties. Some three weeks ago, the Cagliari Teatro Lirico started its season with Respighi's La Campana Sommmersa ('A Double Revival', 4 April 2016) and on 14 April 2016 Teatro Regio Torino presented a new production of La Donna Serpente ('The Snake Woman') by Alfredo Casella. They are both fairy tales, albeit very different: La Campana Sommmersa is a moral apologue, whilst La Donna Serpente is pure entertainment and irony. It is fair to say that La Donna Serpente had had a preview (two performances in July 2014) at the Festival della Valle d'Itria but in a small open air courtyard (with a small stage), a different conductor, a different orchestra and different singers...