July 23 - Francesco Cilea (The Musical Birthday Series, 2nd Annual Cycle)

Francesco Cilea (23 July 1866 – 20 November 1950) was an Italian composer, best known for his opera Adriana Lecouvreur. 

[For last year's musings on Leon Fleisher click here.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beware the Bouquet 

The Princesse poisons some violets and sends them to Adriana. When Maurizio arrives she has already inhaled the poison, and dies in his arms. -- synopsis of the final scene of Adriana Lecouvreur, adapted from The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia, p. 12

Adriana Lecouvreur

Shouldn’t have inhaled les fleurs.

Adriana, in the story,

Rued the scent of i fiori.

But Adriana, being human,

Was attracted to die Blumen.

 

 

 

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