DESCRIPTION:
Recorded in 1927. Berlin State Opera Orchestra.

Thanks to Rolf for allowing me to use his excellent transfers. You can find this and many other wonderful selections and information at his website: http://www.satyr78lp.blogspot.com

Verdi's Aida
In 1869, a new opera house opened in Cairo with Verdi's Rigoletto. The Khedive wanted a more spectacular opera done there, so he commissioned a new work from Verdi. A libretto was prepared by Antonio Ghislanzoni based on a French synopsis by Camille du Locle. Verdi worked very closely with Ghislanzoni on the form and the exact text of the libretto, and at all times urged that conventional forms be abandoned if they did not serve any dramatic purpose. The premiere in Cairo was delayed from January until December 1871 because the set designs and costumes were trapped in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War. The opera was an immediate success, but Verdi continued to revise the score. He composed a full overture for the Teatro alla Scala premiere, but discarded it before the performances took place; however, the extension of the ballet music for the Paris premiere was incorporated into the printed score.


Pietro Antonio Stefano Mascagni, December 7, 1863 -- August 2, 1945, was an Italian composer most noted for his operas. His 1890 masterpiece Cavalleria rusticana caused one of the greatest sensations in opera history and single-handedly ushered in the Verismo movement in Italian dramatic music. Some critics held that Mascagni, like Leoncavallo, was a "one-opera man" who could never repeat his first success, but L'amico Fritz and Iris have been remained in the repertoire in Europe since their premieres. Mascagni said that at one point, Iris was performed in Italy more often than Cavalleria (cf. Stivender).

Mascagni wrote fifteen operas, an operetta, 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. He created a variety of styles in his operas: a Sicilian passion and warmth of Cavalleria, the exotic flavor of Iris, the idylls of L'amico Fritz and Lodoletta, the Gallic chiaroscuro of Isabeau, the steely, Veristic power of Il piccolo Marat, the over-ripe post-romanticism of the lush Parisina, which demonstrate a versatility.

Mascagni was born in Livorno, Tuscany, the second son of Domenico and Emilia Mascagni. His father owned and operated a bakery. Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti ("Nanni") was born the same year in the same city and became Mascagni's lifelong friend and collaborator.

In 1876, at the age of 13, Mascagni began musical studies with Alfredo Soffredini, who founded the Instituto Musicale di Livorno (later called Istituto Cherubini). The older man had just completed his musical studies in Milan. Also a native of Livorno, Soffredini was a composer, teacher and musical critic.

The youth started composing rapidly. Between 1879 and 1880, Mascagni composed several works: Sinfonia in do minore, Prima sinfonia in fa maggiore, Elegia, Kyrie, Gloria and Ave Maria.

For more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pietro_Mascagni
It's long and dull.