‘Verismo,’ by its very definition, means truth. Rather than depicting nobility or mythology, ‘verismo’ opera tells stories of everyday people, and ‘Cavalleria rusticana’ by Pietro Mascagni is a premiere example of the genre. Before their performances with Riccardo Muti and the CSO, mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili, tenor Piero Pretti, and baritone Luca Salsi talked with WFMT about their approaches to ‘verismo’ opera and the relevance of ‘Cavalleria’ today.

Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida is the apotheosis of grand opera: a story about forbidden love, with one of the most famous triumphal marches in the repertoire – horses and elephants included. The pomp and circumstance of this epic tale set in ancient Egypt has enchanted audiences for well over a century. But as Riccardo Muti, often considered the world’s leading Verdi …