My photo

I’ve often performed in the chorus of the Toronto City Opera, and this photo was taken by Barbara’s husband (also called James) when we were doing Pietro Mascagni’s 1890 opera Cavalleria Rusticana back in 2010 or so.  I’m a peasant in 19th-century Sicily.

Let me say a bit about Cavalleria Rusticana.  It’s an example of a verismo opera of the late 19th century, more “realistic” than older operas.  The title translates as the sarcastic “rustic chivalry.” To the more sophisticated northern Italians, Sicily looked backward and Arcadian, something like Newfoundland looks to some Torontonians.

The plot is about how Turiddu was in love with Lola but while he was away in the army Lola married Alfio the local hawker, who’s well to do but out of town most of the time.  After coming home Turiddu took up with Santuzza, who ended up with a reputation as the village skank.  But then Lola reignited her torch for Turiddu—remember that her husband is out of town most of the time—and Turiddu dumped Santuzza.  So Santuzza squeals to Alfio about his wife’s infidelity and Alfio insists on a knife fight with Turiddu, who ends up dead.  There’s lots of great music.  

It’s only one act long, so we performed it with Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, another one-act verismo opera about a married couple in a travelling theatre group that performs commedia dell’arte shows, but adultery leads to murder.

I use that photo as my avatar on Twitter, with the handle Captain Snark.