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)

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

4:57

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

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

3:30

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

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

1:45

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

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

4:01

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

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

2:50

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

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

1:36

"Per voi, ghiottoni inutili" (David)

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

1:07

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

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

0:38

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

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

2:21

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

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

6:07

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

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

2:07

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

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

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)

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

2:19

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

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

2:58

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

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

6:10

"Come va?" (Fritz, David)

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

2:11

"Quale strano turbamento" (Fritz)

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

1:19

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

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

0:43

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

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

3:31

Intermezzo. Andante con moto

Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

3:59

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

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

3:10

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

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

1:25

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

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

2:50

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

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

2:28

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

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

1:42

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

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

1:20

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

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

2:45

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

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

1:37

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

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

6:11

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

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

0:47

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

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

2:06