Alternative to Verismo? Alberto Franchetti and his “Christopher Columbus“

#Mariinsky_education #Mariinsky_documentary “What could be better than composing at 90 kilometres per hour?” once wrote Alberto Franchetti — a racer, a dandy and a composer who was closely connected with Pietro Mascagni and Giacomo Puccini, and no lesser successful back in the day. Marking the performance of one of the best Franchetti’s operas, “Cristoforo Colombo“, under Alvise Casellati at the Mariinsky Concert Hall on September, 28, we present this little documentary devoted to the composer and his work. The film features the music by A. Franchetti, P. Mascagni, G. Verdi performed by the Mariinsky orchestra as well as the paintings: “Ma patronne“ by Louis Welden Hawkins (Petit Palais, musée des Beaux-arts de la Ville de Paris) “l’Heure bleue“ by Max Klinger (Museum der bildenden Künste, Leipzig)