Mascagni: L'Amico Fritz

Luciano Pavarotti

2000

Italian composer Mascagni’s reputation rests on just one work, his one-act verismo classic Cavalleria Rusticana. It’s frequently performed as a double bill with Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci (hence the popular epithet “Cav and Pag”). As a result, the remainder of Mascagni’s output, which includes no fewer than 14 operas, has been unjustly overlooked. That said, neither Iris nor L’amico Fritz has entirely disappeared from view, the latter (first staged at Rome’s Teatro Costanzi in October 1891) especially fine. On this 1969 recording with conductor Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni make a compelling dramatic duo. Act II’s “Cherry Duet” between Fritz and Suzel is full of the requisite passion, while the orchestral intermezzo preceding Act III is a powerful display of Italian emotion.

Preludietto. Tempo di Valzer moderato

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

3:33

"Ma questa è una pazzia!" (Fritz, David, Hanezò, Federico, Caterina)

Luciano Pavarotti, Vicente Sardinero, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Benito Di Bella, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Malvina Major, Luigi Pontiggia

4:57

"Son pochi fiori, povere viole" (Suzel, Fritz)

Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

3:30

"Orsù, vieni tra noi, al fianco mio" (Fritz, Suzel, Hanezò, Federico, David)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Vicente Sardinero, Luigi Pontiggia, Benito Di Bella

1:45

"Chi mai sarà?" (Hanezò, Fritz, David, Federico, Suzel, Beppe)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Benito Di Bella, Laura Didier Gambardella, Luigi Pontiggia

4:01

"Laceri, miseri, tanti bambini" (Beppe, Fritz, Hanezò, David, Federico)

Benito Di Bella, Laura Didier Gambardella, Luigi Pontiggia, Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Luciano Pavarotti

2:50

"Viva lo zingaro!" (David, Hanezò, Federico, Fritz, Caterina, Suzel, Beppe)

Laura Didier Gambardella, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Vicente Sardinero, Benito Di Bella, Malvina Major, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Luigi Pontiggia, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

1:36

"Per voi, ghiottoni inutili" (David)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

1:07

"Il suo sermone è splendido!" (Beppe, Federico, Fritz, David, Hanezò)

Laura Didier Gambardella, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Benito Di Bella, Luciano Pavarotti, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Vicente Sardinero, Luigi Pontiggia

0:38

"Son gli orfanelli" (Hanezò, Beppe, Federico, Fritz, David, Chorus)

Luigi Pontiggia, Laura Didier Gambardella, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Vicente Sardinero, Luciano Pavarotti, Benito Di Bella

2:21

"Ah, le belle ciliege!" (Suzel, Chorus)

Mirella Freni, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

6:07

"Bel cavalier, che vai per la foresta" (Suzel)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni

2:07

Duetto delle ciliege, "Suzel, buon dì" (Fritz, Suzel)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:10

"Tutto tace" (Fritz, Suzel)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

4:25

"Oh! chi è che giunge?" (Fritz, Suzel, Beppe, David, Hanezò, Federico)

Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Benito Di Bella, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Luigi Pontiggia, Laura Didier Gambardella, Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

2:19

"Vediamo un po'!" (David, Suzel)

Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Mirella Freni

2:58

"Faceasi vecchio Abramo" (Suzel, David, Fritz)

Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

6:10

"Come va?" (Fritz, David)

Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Vicente Sardinero, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

2:11

"Quale strano turbamento" (Fritz)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

1:19

"Fritz, noi partiamo. Addio!" (Federico, Fritz, Hanezò, Beppe)

Luigi Pontiggia, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Laura Didier Gambardella, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Benito Di Bella

0:43

"Che più s'aspetta?" (Federico, Fritz, David, Suzel, Chorus)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Luigi Pontiggia, Vicente Sardinero, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti

3:31

Intermezzo. Andante con moto

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

3:59

"Tutto ho tentato, tutto, e sempre invano" (Fritz, Chorus)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Chorus of the Royal Opera House, Luciano Pavarotti

3:10

"Buon giorno, Fritz!" (Beppe, Fritz)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Luciano Pavarotti, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Laura Didier Gambardella

1:25

"O pallida, che un giorno mi guardasti" (Beppe, Fritz)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Laura Didier Gambardella, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Luciano Pavarotti

2:50

"O amore, o bella luce del core" (Fritz)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Luciano Pavarotti

2:28

"L'amico Fritz fantastica d'amore" (David, Fritz)

Vicente Sardinero, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Luciano Pavarotti

1:42

"Povero Fritz, l'amore in te si desta" (David, Suzel)

Mirella Freni, Vicente Sardinero, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

1:20

"Non mi resta che il pianto ed il dolore" (Suzel, Fritz)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

2:45

"Come s'è fatta pallida!" (Fritz, Suzel)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

1:37

"Ah! ditela per me quella parola" (Suzel, Fritz)

Mirella Freni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni

6:11

"Amici, ho vinto, ho vinto!" (David, Fritz, Beppe, Caterina)

Luciano Pavarotti, Malvina Major, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Vicente Sardinero, Laura Didier Gambardella

0:47

"Tu sposi, Fritz?" (Federico, Hanezò, David, Fritz)

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Luciano Pavarotti, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Benito Di Bella, Vicente Sardinero, Luigi Pontiggia

2:06