Sicily has always played a central role in the history of Italian melodrama. This concert celebrates the richness of an extraordinary operatic school, capable of combining the melodic elegance of the early nineteenth century with the dramatic experimentation of the twentieth century. Through a succession of rare arias and precious archive treasures, the programme traces a continuous line that links the land of myths and passions to the great national lyric tradition. The concert opens with Pietro Antonio Coppola with his most famous opera, Nina pazza per amore (1835). The aria “ Mi par che un lungo secolo ” embodies the style of romantic melodrama, where the madness of love is translated into a tender and melancholic melody. This is followed by Giovanni Pacini from Catania with Niobe (1826), an opera from which the aria “ Il soave e bel piacere ” is taken, which demonstrates the extraordinary melodic fluidity of the composer, Bellini's historic rival. The concert then moves on to Pietro Platania with Vendetta slava . The aria “ O care o liete immagini ” evokes strong feelings linked to the native land. The rediscovery continues with Pietro Floridia and La colonia libera (1899), an opera in which the aria “ Ecco perché non vengo” stands out , in which the composer from Modica, who later became a naturalized American, experiments with modern and refined harmonies. The drama becomes intense with the Palermo-born Errico Petrella and his Promessi sposi (1869). The piece “ Addio montagne, sorgenti ” translates the famous words of Alessandro Manzoni into music with great emotional force. With the Trapani-born Antonio Scontrino and his Il sortilegio (1879), the atmosphere is tinged with mystery and fairy tale in the aria “ Del triste mago dietro l'orme ”. The twentieth century is represented by the Palermo-born Giuseppe Savagnone , whose aria “ Un giorno ad un califfo ” can be heard, taken from his masterpiece Millesima seconda (1949). In this aria, the music opens up to modern rhythms, while maintaining a strong connection to traditional opera. The concert closes with Andrea Butera and his Atala , from which the aria " O mie fedeli amiche " is taken, a moment of intimate and intense lyrical expression.

Giuseppe Savagnone

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Sep 27, 2026

Notes at the Museum · Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana

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