After two concerts fully dedicated to the composer of Busseto, we are going to begin this concert with Verdi's little known and rarely performed '"Inno delle Nazioni", a Cantata for chorus and tenor, and then provide a glimpse into Act II of Otello to delve into the essence of Verismo, as shown in the works of Mascagni and Catalani. At times, this journey will be softened by the dreamy atmosphere of exotic melodrama composed in that same period.

The concert will feature a diverse range of sonorities, incorporating both choral and solo parts. It starts with the “Hymn of Nations” in which the tenor evokes a 'world of brothers in art' in a surprising, emphatic but clean and engaging counterpoint. After providing a glimpse into Act II of Otello, we move to dreamy moments such as those evoked in the operas La Wally and Lakmé, with the celebrated aria “Ebben? Ne andrò lontana” for soprano and the “Duetto dei fiori” for soprano and mezzo-soprano. In the second part of the concert, after Zanetto's magnificent prelude, we settle into the veristic ambience of Cavalleria Rusticana with its passionate characters that take us to a Sicilian village in a cheerful Easter morning shifting then to tragedy that culminates in the powerful and unforgettable “Veristic Tear” of the final scream. Though this is not the end, as we move into a final chorus, Mascagni’s “Hymn of the Sun" from the opera Iris, with its grandiose and life-affirming evocation.
Within this “Veristic Tear,” one can find many of the elements utilized by composers who ventured into the realm of Verismo music, except for Puccini. In 2024, both Gala concerts of the Opera Chorus of Lugano will focus on the great Maestro from Lucca, commemorating the 100th anniversary of his passing.