Works by Alfredo Catalani and Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari

Shame on Barga last night. I will write that again; Shame on Barga ! How can Barga hold its head up as an Art City when events such as the concert in the Teatro dei Differenti last night drew such a small audience ? Does it really need a name from TV to fill the seats in the theatre?

What they missed last night was a varied programme and one to make people sit up and think a bit.

On the 150th anniversary of his birth, a selection of work from the composer from Lucca, Alfredo Catalani.

Catalani was well known in his time, but died when he was only 39 years old and has gradually since been forgotten as the newer "verismo" took over.

Laura Peschiera, soprano and Stefano Adabbo on pianoforte.

The second part of the programme was another less known composer, this time Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari and his intermezzo in one act "Il Secreto di Susanna" from 1909.

Nicola Mugnaini, baritone, Tomoko Masuda, soprano and Marcello Panelli as the mime ably supported by the soloists from the Camera Orchestra "Luigi Boccherini" romped through one of the more startling operatic pieces seen in Barga in recent years. It has to be just the most non politically correct work on stage at the present time. It was wonderful! A story based around smoking. All three on stage puffing their way around a story of jealousy and Susan's terrible secret... the smell of smoke in her room was not left by a lover but by the footman and herself, both secret smokers.

More images and MP3 files of both performances can be downloaded here.