PIETRO MASCAGNI (1863-1945): Parisina.

Description: Our second Parisina of the month is Mascagni's complete self-immersion in the decadent aesthetic of D'Annunzio's libretto, using a declamatory style at odds with verismo, employing Straussian chromaticism and Impressionist harmonies to help capture the story's fevered eroticism, cruelty and violence. Conductor Gavazzeni revived the work in his own edition in 1952, so this is a historical recording (December 1978) of some importance for collectors. 2 CDs. Italian-English libretto. Atarah Hazzan (soprano), Aldo Protti (tenor), Giuseppe Vendittelli (baritone), Orchestra and Chorus of the Rome Opera Theatre; Gianandrea Gavazzeni.