Vincenzo Girasoli
Cavalleria Rusticana: discovering the Norman Castle of Stilo, between past and present.
I would like to start analysing these two words. Cavalleria is a noble and generous behavior, typical of feudal knights; rusticana indicates the knights’ behaviour that is relived by the peasants of the countryside.
A noble soul like the one of Turiddo in love with Lola in the novel written by Verga.
Let’s go to discover the Norman Castle of Stilo.
Stilo is legendary town in Calabria. The castle dominates the entire valley from the top of Monte Consolino …
To get there I enjoyed going off-road 🙂
At the top you need to walk another while or take a small train that will operate from the new year.
The castle was built by Ruggero II of Sicily in the 11st century. Now there are only the old castle ruins and the view on the valley is breathtaking! And turning around you can see another breathtaking view. A view of 360 °!
Why did I want to start quoting the Cavalleria Rusticana of Verga? Before I need to tell you the plot of the novel…
Cavalleria rusticana, ( Italian: “Rustic Chivalry”) short story by Giovanni Verga written in verismo style and published in 1880. The author’s adaptation of the story into a one-act tragedy (produced in 1884) was his greatest success as a playwright.
On his return to his village from army service, Turiddu Macca discovers that his sweetheart, Lola, is bethrothed to Alfio. Spitefully, Turiddu begins a flirtation with Santa, the daughter of his employer. Jealous of this new relationship, Lola takes Turiddu as a lover. Santa informs Alfio of Lola’s infidelity. Alfio challenges Turiddu to a duel to the death, and Turiddu is killed.
A witness to the great love of Turiddu here the verses that struck me most: ‘But I care not if I am killed;
If through you I die and go to Paradise,
It will not be Paradise for me unless you are there. Ah!’.
Paradise is a recurring theme of the work. Here I felt like heaven, and I thought at that Turiddu that is in all of us …
…If Lola had waited for him, if she had believed in that love…
Cavalleria Rusticana in Calabria ends here, see you to the next trip!
P.S The Italian composer Pietro Mascagni used this material as the basis for his one-act opera (1890) of the same name. Here the performance of the youth philharmonic orchestra of Reggio Calabria.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHh74duXd1U
