Life
Trained in the late nineteenth-century climate where the poetics of Realism and nascent Decadentism coexisted, his artistic maturity was expressed in the early twentieth century, an era of extraordinary cultural density where Verismo, Symbolism, Decadentism, and the revolution of Futurism overlapped.
Born in Palmi in 1866, Cilea decided to dedicate himself to music as a child after hearing a local band perform Bellini's Norma. He studied at the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory in Naples, where he graduated in 1889 by presenting the opera Gina. This first trial earned him the attention of the publisher Sonzogno, who commissioned Tilda, successfully performed in 1892 in Italy and Vienna.
His third opera, L’Arlesiana (1897), debuted at the Teatro Lirico in Milan with Enrico Caruso as the lead, making the romanza Il lamento di Federico famous. In 1902, Milan's La Scala welcomed Adriana Lecouvreur, his most famous opera, now a staple of the international repertoire.
This was followed by Gloria (1907), conducted by Toscanini, but its partial failure convinced Cilea to abandon the theater. He continued to compose chamber and symphonic music and directed the Conservatories of Palermo and Naples. He died in Varazze in 1950, leaving a musical legacy of great refinement and an indissoluble bond with his Calabria.
Aneddoto
Caruso and the Lamento di Federico
The premiere of L’Arlesiana made the young Caruso famous, as he won over the Milanese audience with the romanza Il lamento di Federico.Works
His principal theatrical works include Gina (1889), Tilda (1892), L’Arlesiana (1897), Adriana Lecouvreur (1902), and Gloria (1907). He also composed symphonic music, including a poem dedicated to Verdi (1913), and numerous chamber lyrics. Institutions such as the Reggio Calabria Conservatory and the Teatro Cilea now bear his name.
Briciole di storia
Birth of the Pizza Margherita, a tricolor for the Queen
In June 1889, during a visit to Naples, Queen Margherita of Savoy, tired of the complex French cuisine served at court, expressed a desire to taste pizza. The city's most famous pizza maker, Raffaele Esposito, was summoned to Palazzo Capodimonte. He prepared three pizzas, but the one that won the Queen over was a creation designed specifically for her, whose ingredients recalled the Italian flag: tomato (red), mozzarella (white), and basil (green). The Queen enjoyed it so much that Esposito, in her honor, christened the creation "Pizza Margherita." Thus, almost by chance, the world's most famous and beloved pizza was born.
Pubblico dominio (Commons)
