Pietro Mascagni - His Life and works (1863 - 1945)

He was born in Livorno in 1863, he was the son of a baker, he studied in Livorno, and after together with Ponchielli he studied in Milan at the conservatory.

He couldn't bear the strict rules of this school so he left Milan and started working as orchestra conductor.

He settled in Cerignola as local theatre director and conductor of the local band.

The extraordinary success of his opera "Cavalleria Rusticana" (1890) prevented him to finish his work at Cerignola.

He could dedicate himself completely to music composition and to conduct his orchestra.

Many critics said that in every Mascagni's opera, there's a high inspiration nobility, lively expression, and a very good style.

Mascagni music had a different style for each opera a beautiful expressive language and original harmonic elaboration, rich of strange limits.

That drammatic character is typical of Mascagni and it had an irresistibile charme but the past generation couldn't appreciate his music completly.