Italian Passion

Some loves can only end in tragedy. So it is with the young Italian soldier,Turiddu,who has returned home to find his beloved Lola married to another man. The lovely Santuzza catches his eye,but Lola isn’t willing to give him up yet. Neither is Santuzza. Cavalleria Rusticana (Rustic Chivalry) has played out extreme human emotions since 1890,turning Italian composer Pietro Mascagni’s opera into a classic. Cavalleria Rusticana now arrives in India as part of the Delhi International Arts Festival,presented by ICCR,the Embassy of Italy and the Italian Cultural Centre.

Fittingly,this tale of Italian high passion,brought alive by an army of 70 musicians and a 50-member choir,will have several Indian names,besides Lucknow-born conductor Vijay Upadhyaya. Even as world-renowned artistes such as Italian soprano Francesca Patané hit the high pitch,music students from the India National Youth Orchestra (INYO) will play their instruments. INYO was founded by Upadhyaya and theatreperson Sonia Khan last year to select and train youngsters from across India in western classical music. Cavalleria Rusticana is arguably their biggest performance. “This is the first time I am performing in an opera in India. The young musicians have come from 13 states and their dialogue with Italian musicians will be interesting,” says Upadhyaya,the artistic director of the Vienna University Orchestra and Choir.

The performers,from India and Italy,will converse with each other in the language of music,and Patané adds that this is true for the audience too. “Music is a universal language. We don’t need to understand it,we only need to listen,” says she.

Cavalleria Rusticana follows a highly energetic form of portrayal,with language that’s “very everyday,almost vulgar as it

depicts the typical expressions of the population of the time”. Patané,however,warns that “sometimes it may appear that we are screaming,but we aren’t. Cavalleria Rusticana demands that we don’t just stand and sing,that we express ourselves.”

Even as the artistes perfect their roles,technicians are trying to tackle the problems of Delhi’s lack of opera venues. “Siri Fort has a thick wall-to-wall carpeting,it’s unsuitable for the music,” says Upadhyaya. But,once the music begins to play,it will be about love,jealousy and revenge of Turiddu and the women who love him. “Italian opera is like a virus. Once you get it,it is very hard to get rid of,” says Patané.

The opera will be staged at Siri Fort auditorium on November 15.