Organization

Conductor

James Gaffigan

Singer

Soprano

Heidi Melton

Santuzza

Mezzo-soprano

Katherine Beck

Lola

Contralto

Meredith Arwady

Lucia

Tenor

Antonio Poli

Turiddu

Baritone

Anthony Clark Evans

Alfio

Orchestra

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Others

St. Louis Symphony Chorus

Cavalleria rusticana -  (Rustic Chivalry)

St. Louis

United States

Stifel Theatre

Public

Rustic Chivalry

Approved

Sicily, 1900. A beautiful place with a passionate underbelly. The perfect setting for Pietro Mascagni’s legendary Cavalleria rusticana, a compelling story of love and betrayal. Turiddu and Lola have happily rekindled their old love, but Lola’s husband finds out, and Santuzza feels betrayed, all with dire consequences. Conductor James Gaffigan brings an international reputation as an opera conductor, and he tells this tale with white-hot intensity. 

A few things to know: 

Mascagni’s first big success was Cavalleria rusticana, written when he was 27. It has overshadowed all of his other works, which include 14 other operas. Mascgani’s wife entered Cavalleria rusticana into a competition, and its win set it on a path of international success. “It is a pity I wrote Cavalleria first,” he said later, “for I was crowned before I became king.” 
The story, briefly: Turiddu, a soldier, learns that his old flame, Lola, has married someone else. Eventually, Lola and Turiddu have an affair, and Lola’s husband takes violent revenge and Santuzza, passionately in love with Turridu, feels betrayed. The title translates roughly as “Rustic Chivalry.”  
American conductor James Gaffigan is music director at two internationally renowned opera houses, in Berlin and Valencia. But he adores doing concert performances of opera: “I believe that opera is first and foremost about music, and then theatre. Music must be cherished and taken care of.” 
Katherine Beck’s performance is supported by the Sarah Bryan Miller Fund.
Tickets are currently only available for 23/24 subscribers. Curated Series and Compose Your Own subscriptions are on sale now.

English

Rustic Chivalry by Mascagni, From (2023/2023), Conductor James Gaffigan, Stifel Theatre, St. Louis, United States

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues