Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci - Grand Production

Event in Italian with subtitles in Russian and Hebrew

Vienna – Tel Aviv Vocal Connection and Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra proudly present: A Grand Production! More than 150 participants in "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci" opera soloists from Vienna and Tel Aviv, featuring world-renowned opera stars and 4 choirs

Conductor: David Aronson, Vienna State Opera
Director: Rosemary Danziger
Choirmaster: Asaf Benraf

"Vienna – Tel Aviv Vocal Connection" is the only opera theater in Israel organizing full-scale international-level opera productions across the country. Each performance by this theater is a bright event in the cultural life of Israel, generating significant interest among Israeli opera lovers. The success of previous productions, "The Marriage of Figaro" and "Die Fledermaus," vividly attests to this.

The new production features two verismo masterpieces: "Cavalleria Rusticana" by Pietro Mascagni and "Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo. These two operas are often performed in one evening due to their similar style and each lasting about an hour. Each is divided into two parts by an instrumental intermezzo. Both operas belong to the "verismo" genre, which portrays life unembellished, as it is, conveying profound human emotions and passions through the language of music and drama. The music in both operas is more than just a backdrop; it acts as a narrator and participant in the plot, enhancing the intensity while wrapping it in an aesthetic shell. The reality of the stage events is accentuated by the rich sound of the orchestra and the powerful support of the choirs, who play the role of spectators, witnessing everything that happens between the main characters throughout the plot. Maestro David Aronson of the Vienna State Opera and internationally renowned opera director Rosemary Danziger guide the soloists, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, and four choirs into the very center of the storm brewing and unfolding in the plot of each of these operas. Both operas make extensive use of several choirs, representing different societal groups, whether it's men and women returning from work in the field, community members watching an Easter procession, or church worshippers. In this production, all four choirs are in the capable hands of Maestro Asaf Benraf, who has directed opera choirs around the world, including Israeli Opera performances.

Performing operas in the verismo style requires singers with strong dramatic voices and powerful energy to authentically convey the depth of drama and emotions bursting from the depths of the soul. In this "Vienna–Tel Aviv Vocal Connection" production, the main roles are performed by world opera stars who have sung these challenging roles in the largest opera theaters worldwide. Love, betrayal, jealousy, revenge—the tragedy unfolding on stage throughout the plot is so deep and real that it is impossible to stay indifferent. Verismo blurs the lines between the performance and real life, creating a miracle of empathy, participation, and involvement. The viewer, almost unconsciously, becomes part of the plot, empathizing, resenting, tensing in anticipation of a tragic outcome. Perhaps this is the secret of these operas' special success with audiences—a phenomenon of catharsis, a cleansing of the soul, when the tragedy on stage becomes a unique catalyst for purging heavy emotions and fears often hidden from everyone, even oneself, with ethical and moral lessons drawn.

Participants in the performance:
Nedda / Santuzza: Evgenia Dushina (soprano) Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris, France; Teatro Real, Madrid, Spain; The Royal Theatre of La Monnaie, Brussels, Belgium; International Operetta Festival in Mörbisch-See, Austria; Opera Theatre in Solothurn, Switzerland; Vilnius Opera Theatre, Lithuania
Canio / Turiddu: Zurab Zurabishvili (Tenor) Deutsche Oper, Berlin, Germany; Essen Opera House, Germany; Düsseldorf Opera House, Germany; Flemish Opera, Antwerp; Royal Opera Copenhagen, Denmark; Zurich Opera House, Switzerland; Israeli Opera.
Tonio / Alfio: Pablo Carrillo Ferrera (Baritone) Teresa Carreño Theatre, Caracas, Venezuela; Odessa National Opera Theatre—Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago, Italy; National Opera of Moldova, Teatro Politeama Greco, Lecce, Italy
Silvio: Oleg Lebedev (baritone) (Semperoper, Dresden, Germany; Essen Opera House, Germany; Cologne Opera House, Germany—Glyndebourne Opera Festival, United Kingdom
Arlecchino: Doron Florentin (Tenor) (Israeli Opera)
Lola: Abigail Gurtler Har-Tov (Soprano) (Israeli Opera)
Mamma Lucia: Rona Sharira (Alto) (Israeli Opera)
A Capella Vocal Ensemble Jerusalem — Music Director Asaf Benraf
Jerusalem Chamber Choir — Music Director Tom Carney
Shahar Choir Rehovot: Music Director Gila Brill
Children's Choir "Ankor" Jerusalem: Music Director Daphna Ben Yochanan