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Ruggero Leoncavallo: Two Operas to Rediscover

Feb. 27, 2025

Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857-1919) belongs to that group of composers whose immense fame seems to have concentrated on just one title, in his case Pagliacci; as a matter of fact, the success of this opera has completely overshadowed the other works of this great composer, on whose repertoir the Milanese publishing house SZ Sugar is now undertaking a rediscovery project, with the aim of bringing back to life two operatic titles: Zingari and Edipo Re.


Leoncavallo rehearsing Zingari

Zingari was premiered in 1912 in London, and it is the work to which Leoncavallo devoted himself with the most passion, considering it the best one after Pagliacci. Indeed, the reception from both the public and critics fully met his expectations: in addition to Italy, Zingari enjoyed great success in the United States, Germany, and London, where some arias were even triple encored at the debut. The libretto, by Enrico Cavacchioli and Guglielmo Emanuel, is based on a story by Pushkin, whose publication bicentennial will be commemorated in 2027. The orchestral ensemble and vocal cast are the same as those of Pagliacci (with one less tenor for Zingari), highlighting Leoncavallo’s desire to separate Pagliacci from the usual coupling with Cavalleria Rusticana and pair it with Zingari in season programming.

Like Pagliacci, Zingari also features a beautiful intermezzo, which likewise deserves rediscovery in symphonic programmes.


Intermezzo from Leoncavallo's Zingari

Edipo Re, with a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano (who also authored libretti for Puccini, Mascagni and Wolf-Ferrari, among others), had its posthumous debut in 1920 in Chicago, after being completed by Giovanni Pennacchio at Leoncavallo’s request. It is a typical example of an opera written with a specific performer in mind, in this case, the extraordinary singer-actor Titta Ruffo, whose birth anniversary bicentennial will be celebrated in 2027. The most significant passages, such as the moving final monologue, were tailored for him. The American music critics of the time have described Edipo Re as “an impressive reproduction of the old spirit in the terms of modern music.” The first European staged performance took place only in September 1958 at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, conducted by Giovacchino Forzano.

The rediscovery of these two pieces, especially as one is among the composer's most beloved works and the other his final artistic legacy before his passing, offers a valuable opportunity to reassess his artistic legacy beyond his most famous work, highlighting his contribution to the late 19th and early 20th-century operatic world, and surely the audience would be delighted to rediscover "new" old masterpieces.

For more information, please contact szsugar@sugarmusic.com

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