Pietro Mascagni

Opera Review: “Iris,” A Powerful Vision of an Imaginary Japan — Six Years Before “Madama Butterfly”

February 14, 2022
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The composer of Cavalleria rusticana brought his sense for characterization and drama to the all-too-plausible tale of a woman victimized by a cad.

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Opera Album Review: An Important Early Opera by the Composer of “Cavalleria Rusticana”

August 3, 2021
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I felt at times that I was listening to the Italian equivalent of a Broadway musical, though a serious rather than jolly one.

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CD Reviews: Mascagni’s “Zanetto” and Thomson’s “Four Saints in Three Acts”

January 24, 2017
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Odyssey Opera’s first commercially-released album is a fun showcase; BMOP delivers an excellent performance of Four Saints in Three Acts.

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Commentary: Top Classical Recordings of 2016

December 17, 2016
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I make no claims to have listened to everything released in 2016; here are my picks for the top classical recordings of the year.

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Recent Posts

Book Review: Maya Arad’s “The Hebrew Teacher” — Balancing Conflict and Compassion
April 24, 2024
Poetry Review: “Catullus: Selected Poems” — A Comfortable Intro to an Uncomfortable Poet
April 24, 2024
Book Review: “Out of Left Field: A Sportswriter’s Last Word” — Better Than Being an Accountant
April 24, 2024
Visual Arts Review: Si Lewen’s “Parade” Resurrected — Just in Time for a New War
April 23, 2024
Jazz Album Reviews: New Sets of Previously Unreleased Music — Art Tatum, Yusef Lateef, and Others
April 23, 2024