1/ The Met has already shown a 2013 performance of this legendary production; this one is from the original 1984 revival. No one knows why Zandonai's other operas have not had the staying power of FRANCESCA, but I think it's that here alone - assisted by D'Annunzio's script - he
2/ hit the mystic chord of early 20thc remembrance of the troubadours, an old/new song that hit Pound as well. Love and violence. Acts 1 & 3 - love; Acts 2 & 4, violence. Eroticism that's sublimated until it isn't. Act 3 starts with F reading to her girl-courtiers from the...
3/ Lancelot romance that will become so fateful. "And Galahault said, 'My lady, have pity on him.' 'I'll gladly have on him what pity he desires, but he asks nothing of me!'" And the girls giggle....
4/ Just listen to how Zandonai set Francesca's reading of that line (here, Magda Olivero, a great Francesca of the mid-20thc):
5/ And Act I - Francesca is both eager and fearful about her approaching suitor (Paolo the Fair, deceitfully stepping in for actual suitor, an ugly guy). Ofc we need female authors to give us this take - but that never stopped D'Annunzio: ice-and-desire was one of his favorite...
6/ themes. Here is F., having already seen P. approaching as official suitor, asking to be taken back to her room - which, natch, will turn out not be what she really wants: (Bregenz Fest. recording; singers unknown to me but Luisi is a great conductor.)
My attention was recently drawn to Mailer's Nov. 1960 Esquire article on JFK, in which he writes: "there is a subterranean river of untapped, ferocious, lonely and romantic desires, that concentration of ecstasy and violence which is the dream life of the nation." ...
8/ It's time for "ecstacy and violence." It's time for Zandonai's FRANCESCA DA RIMINI. /fin
