Pietro Mascagni

Great Italian composer, most famous for his operas.

Mascagni wrote a total of seventeen operas and operatta, several orchestral and vocal works, as well as songs and piano music. He enjoyed immense success during his lifetime, both as a composer and conductor of his own and other people's music.

His greatest masterpiece was Cavalleria Rusticana, which was premiered in 1890. This caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and ushered in a new style of opera distinguished by realistic – sometimes sordid or violent – depictions of contemporary everyday life, especially the life of the lower classes, rejecting the historical subjects of Romanticism or mythical ones.

If he never repeated the international success of Cavalleria it was probably because Mascagni refused to copy himself. The variety of styles in his other operas shows a versatility that surpasses even that of Puccini..

This is a fine vintage sepia postcard of the young Mascagni, signed and dated (London, 9.III.1912) in black ink across the image. Light silvering, mostly to the left edge of the image but otherwise in very good condition.