This is the opera that Anthony stars in in Part III. It looks pretty intense and the music from the show is amazing. It was used during the flashback scenes at the end of Part III and has also been used in several other films such as Raging Bull. It is perhaps the most beautiful piece of music I have ever heard.

So, has anyone actually seen the opera performed? I would actually like to see it, but only because of my exposure to it from Part III. I don't intend on becoming an opera-fiend anytime soon.

I remember I was listening to NPR and they were advertising a European cruise or something like that and one of the stops included seeing this show in Sicily. I can only assume it was at the Palermo Opera House.

If only I had the money...

I promised myself I will go to Teatro Massimo one day just to listen to "Cavalleria Rusticana"...But,unfortunately,I haven't seen it yet:(
DeathByClotheshanger,let's save some money,and go there,huh?

I've seen "Cavalleria" many times. It is my favorite opera. It's short (~80 minutes), and is always shown in a double bill with "Pagliacci," so you inevitably get two operas for your money. Although the theme of "Cavalleria" is ugly, it has a higher concentration of beautiful music than any other opera I've seen or heard. You've already commented on the famous "Intermezzo." There's plenty more great music, starting with the overture and the first aria, as well as "No, No Turridu." But my favorite is the Easter Mass, which is a grand and masterful combination of chorus, orchestra, processional and soprano singing. Truly a great experience.
If you can't get to see it live, buy the DVD of Franco Zeffirelli's 1982 production starring Placido Domingo, Elena Obratzsova and Renato Bruson. It was filmed on location in Sicily, not on a stage, and is just fantastic. DTS sound, too.

I'm with TB on this one. It's a beautiful opera. I've seen it at Lincoln Center several times, and it is my favorite, too.

My favorite part is when Turiddu says good-bye to his mother right before his duel, and implores her to take care of Santa, his former girlfriend. Just lovely. I highly recommend seeing it.

I've seen it done a couple of times, in tandem with Il Paglacci. It is a great opera, but not my favorite. IMHO the greatest opera of all time is Nabucco.

"Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate..."

I know this opera very well and play it often at the rehearsals. There are many good music in it.

"Va, pensiero, sull'ali dorate..." [/QB][/QUOTE]


Right on TB. and Here is a Trivia question only you would know. WHEN in the GF trilogy is that played?

Our Don Geoff has a page dedictated to Cavalleria Rusticana .


Don Cardi

Right on TB. and Here is a Trivia question only you would know. WHEN in the GF trilogy is that played? [/QB][/QUOTE]

In GFIII. That little band plays it when Michael's Maserati Quattroporto pulls up to the town in Sicily where Mary distributes presents.

Martin Scorsese evidently is a big fan of Pietro Mascagni, author of "Cavalleria." In "Raging Bull," he uses excerpts from three selections from Mascagni operas. He uses the Intermezzo from "Cavalleria" during the credits. Then he uses the Barcarolle from "Silvano" and the Intermezzo from "Guglielmo Ratcliff." The last two are pretty obscure for American audiences.

DT: Where in the Trilogy do we hear the music from the Drinking Song ("Brindisi") from "Traviata"?

OK, TB, you've got me crazy. Not only have I been going over GF in my head, trying to remember what scene you are referring to, but now, all I've been hearing is, "Beviamo, la da la ti da..."

Turnbull, you've got me humming the damn thing, but I dont remember it. It is a pretty joyful song, and I think it is in GFI, so I'll guess it was at Connie's wedding.

BTW you were correct on the piece from Nabucco. I love the way that band plays it, off key and all....especially the first variation with the woodwinds.

"Brindisi: Libiamo, Libiamo, Ne' Liete Calici...," one of the most lilting tunes in opera, is heard at Michael and Appolonia's wedding, when she's circulating among the guests outdoors, apparently serving them dessert.

Welll at least I had the right movie and at a wedding!

...and at least you and SB know your opera--a most encouraging addition to the quality of posts here.

Yes, she's giving out the candied almonds. Damn!! I can't believe I didn't remember that!!! Thank you, TB!

Incidentally, SB, did we see Appolonia carrying her "little silk purse" with the wedding gifts? I was made aware of this custom (in a cross-cultural way) many years ago. A co-worker got married, and she described how the gifts were given to her to put in a silk purse. Her parents were immigrants from Genoa, and they called the purse the "sciafadon'." Her husband's people were from Sicily, and they called it "a-boosta," probably meaning "a-posta," as in mailbag.

It could as well mean "la busta", simply "bag". Does it make any sense to you, Turnbull?

That makes more sense, Lavinia. Thanks!

Of course, the busta bag!! I did not see Appollonia with one, come to think of it, but I had one. It was my grandmother's job, as the family's oldest female, to keep her eye on the busta bag. When she died, it became Aunt Grace's job. I always thought that "busta" referred to the envelopes that went inside.

...but I haven't got a clue what "sciafadon" means....

So its a busta....this leads me to Paulie wanting to get his hands on that "20-30 grand in that little silk purse."
Then he says if this were someone else's wedding "Sweet tonnato" Is that a tuna fish?

I believe he says "sfortunato", which means, roughly, "How unfortunate!", referring to the fact that if it was someone else's wedding, he might think about stealing the purse's contents.

I recently aquired the Cavalleria Rusticana DVD and now I am hooked thanks to my friends Turnbull and Sicilian Babe.

Excellent stuff. Fantastic music. An extremely moving opera.

I found some very interesting storyline similarities between the characters in Cavalleria and the characters of GFIII.


Can anyone tell me the name of the Opera House in Italy that is used in GFIII and exactly where it is located? I had it stored on one of my computers but cannot seem to find it.

Teatro Massimo, Piazza Verdi, which is in Palermo.

Thank you PB. I appreciate it.

I plan on visiting it when I go to Italy.

The ouside is breathtaking. I saw it when I visited Sicily back in 98'. The interiors to the opera were actually filmed at Cinecitta studios because back in 1990 they were renovating Teatro Massimo.

You'll get chills standing on those steps. My nephew, actually my cousin's son, who was about 14 at the time, kept making donkey noises on the steps.

Hey, there goes Mosca.