Fans of Schreker may be interested in hearing how his idiom (together with those of, say, Strauss and Debussy) is introduced into the late-verismo world of Riccardo Zandonai. If you don't know his opera Francesca da Rimini, you ought to! Unavailable on CD in anything except old recordings in dreadful sound, its best modern rendering is on a DVD from the New York Met with Renata Scotto and Placido Domingo.
I was forcefully reminded of these musical connections having attended London's Opera Holland Park production of the opera last night. It was a stunning show, with a strong performance from Cheryl Barker in the title role and excellent contributions from Julian Gavin (tenor) as Paolo, Jeffrey Lloyd-Roberts (tenor) as a repulsive one-eyed Malatestino and Jeffrey Black (his baritone now somewhat addled, but in character) as the dastardly, deformed Gianciotto. I had read some reviews which were rather sniffy about the music, but I, along with the pretty-well full house, was absolutely captivated. Nigh-on three hours, including interval, absolutely flashed by.
If you don't know the opera, do try it!
