In January 2011, Teatro Massimo Bellini (Catania) presented Vittorio Gnecchi’s Cassandra in a new production for 7 performances (11–19 January). The staging was by Gabriele Rech, with Donato Renzetti conducting and Antonino Manuli leading select dates; Piero Terranova appeared as Egisto alongside Mariana Pentcheva / Anna Maria Chiuri (Cassandra), Giovanna Casolla / Alessandra Rezza (Clitennestra), and John Treleaven / Roman Sadnik (Agamennone).
Opera • Vittorio Gnecchi
Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania (Italy) • 11–19 January 2011 • 7 performances
About the Opera.
Cassandra (libretto by Luigi Illica and Vittorio Gnecchi) is a tragedy in a prologue and two parts.
Completed in 1903 and premiered on 5 December 1905 at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna under Arturo Toscanini, it revisits the Oresteia myth from Cassandra’s prophecy through the fall of the Atreidae.
Long overshadowed by debates comparing it to Strauss’s Elektra, the score blends late-Romantic chromaticism with taut dramaturgy.
Performance Summary.
In January 2011, Teatro Massimo Bellini mounted a new production of Cassandra for seven performances (11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19 January).
The production was staged by Gabriele Rech (co-director Benedikt Borrmann) with Donato Renzetti conducting (and Antonino Manuli on 13, 15, 19).
Baritone Piero Terranova sang Egisto, with lead principals including Mariana Pentcheva / Anna Maria Chiuri (Cassandra), Giovanna Casolla / Alessandra Rezza (Clitennestra), and John Treleaven / Roman Sadnik (Agamennone).
Production Details
| Date(s) |
11–19 January 2011 |
| Performances |
7 |
| Venue |
Teatro Massimo Bellini, Catania, Italy |
| Work |
Cassandra |
| Composer |
Vittorio Gnecchi |
| Librettist |
Luigi Illica & Vittorio Gnecchi |
| Conductor |
Donato Renzetti; Antonino Manuli (13, 15, 19 January) |
| Orchestra |
Orchestra del Teatro Massimo Bellini |
| Chorus |
Coro del Teatro Massimo Bellini; Coro di voci bianche “Gaudeamus Igitur” Concentus |
| Chorusmaster |
Tiziana Carlini (coro); Elisa Poidomani (children’s chorus) |
| Stage Director |
Gabriele Rech (Co-director: Benedikt Borrmann) |
| Set & Lighting |
Giuseppe Di Iorio |
| Costumes |
Sandra Meurer |
| Piero Terranova |
Egisto |
Cast
- Il Prologo — Nicola De Michele
- Agamennone — John Treleaven / Roman Sadnik (13, 15, 19)
- Clitennestra — Giovanna Casolla / Alessandra Rezza (13, 15, 19)
- Cassandra — Mariana Pentcheva / Anna Maria Chiuri (13, 15, 19)
- Egisto — Piero Terranova / Carmelo Corrado Caruso
- Oreste — Samuele Cozzubbo
- Il fazionario del porto — Nicola De Michele
- Il navarca — Paolo La Delfa
- Una coèfora — Piera Bivona
- Una vecchia — Piera Bivona
Performance Dates
- Tue 11 Jan 2011
- Thu 13 Jan 2011
- Fri 14 Jan 2011
- Sat 15 Jan 2011
- Sun 16 Jan 2011
- Tue 18 Jan 2011
- Wed 19 Jan 2011
- New production; billed as the first complete modern performance and first in Catania; season-opening event for Winter 2011.
- Alternate conducting by Antonino Manuli on 13, 15, 19 January.
- Photography by Giacomo Orlando (per Teatro Massimo Bellini).
