The most beautiful scenes in all opera. The old Zeffirelli Met production was a spectacular staging of Sicilian life. Several years ago the powers replaced it with non descriptive figures marching through a non secular circle of chairs Pathetic!!
I sob every time I hear the Easter Hymn, this time being no exception. When I was young I thought that if I ever got married I'd want the Intermezzo to play as dad to walked me down the aisle. (This was well before the Godfather!) I never did get married so that didn't happen. When I was much older my dad died on a Good Friday. My sister took charge of the funeral arrangements and, not knowing my earlier plans for the Intermezzo, choose this music for when the family escorted dad's coffin down the aisle and out of the church. We were leaving rather than entering, and I was escorting him rather than dad escorting me, but the locale and music were right. Still makes me laugh and cry at the same time when I think about it. Thanks for this and I hope you're having a wonderful Easter!
Mr. Ciuffreda's comment brought to mind another "compared poorly to the original" story. In 1962 Jacqueline Kennedy and Rachel Lambert Mellon redesigned the White House Garden and turned it into the popular Rose Garden. In 2019, a 21st century First Lady undertook redesigns and upgrades of her own. Le tout Washington was aghast at the removal of crabapple trees, rose bushes and other colorful flowers. There were snide remarks about boring landscaping and narrow sidewalks meant for walking in stilettos. Love the changes or hate them, there are definitely times when, as our mothers used to say, "You should leave well enough alone!"
Maria Callas singing Mascagni's “Inneggiamo, il Signor non è morto” (Easter Hymn), the orchestral version of the same in "The Godfather III" and Ms. Hough's comment were touching. Each captures some element in the Jesus story of love, death, forgiveness, redemption, hope and salvation.
It's the traditional hymns of my childhood, like "He Lives" and "The Old Rugged Cross", and not so much opera, which evoke my memories at Easter of those I loved who are now departed. Easter People hope that death is just the thruway to salvation and eternal life with Jesus. Perhaps the weight of sustaining this faith is why we American Christians match the solemnity of Easter with the frivolity of chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Easter egg hunts, new clothes and family feasts. All that aside, I'm just glad Easter gives us an opportunity to hear so much glorious music. "Intermezzo" caps off a beautiful day of listening pleasure.
For the first time in 30 years, believers are celebrating "everything, everywhere, at the same time!" So, Happy Easter! Chag Sameach! Ramadan Mubarak!
The Easter procession is one of
The most beautiful scenes in all opera. The old Zeffirelli Met production was a spectacular staging of Sicilian life. Several years ago the powers replaced it with non descriptive figures marching through a non secular circle of chairs Pathetic!!
Happy Easter and Passover to all.
I sob every time I hear the Easter Hymn, this time being no exception. When I was young I thought that if I ever got married I'd want the Intermezzo to play as dad to walked me down the aisle. (This was well before the Godfather!) I never did get married so that didn't happen. When I was much older my dad died on a Good Friday. My sister took charge of the funeral arrangements and, not knowing my earlier plans for the Intermezzo, choose this music for when the family escorted dad's coffin down the aisle and out of the church. We were leaving rather than entering, and I was escorting him rather than dad escorting me, but the locale and music were right. Still makes me laugh and cry at the same time when I think about it. Thanks for this and I hope you're having a wonderful Easter!
Mr. Ciuffreda's comment brought to mind another "compared poorly to the original" story. In 1962 Jacqueline Kennedy and Rachel Lambert Mellon redesigned the White House Garden and turned it into the popular Rose Garden. In 2019, a 21st century First Lady undertook redesigns and upgrades of her own. Le tout Washington was aghast at the removal of crabapple trees, rose bushes and other colorful flowers. There were snide remarks about boring landscaping and narrow sidewalks meant for walking in stilettos. Love the changes or hate them, there are definitely times when, as our mothers used to say, "You should leave well enough alone!"
See:
- https://heavy.com/news/2020/08/rose-garden-before-after-melania-trump-changes-photos/)
- https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/02/politics/melania-trump-rose-garden-redesign/index.html#:~:text=When%20did%20Melania%20Trump%20decide%20now%20was%20a,September%202019%20State%20Dinner%20in%20the%20Rose%20Garden
Maria Callas singing Mascagni's “Inneggiamo, il Signor non è morto” (Easter Hymn), the orchestral version of the same in "The Godfather III" and Ms. Hough's comment were touching. Each captures some element in the Jesus story of love, death, forgiveness, redemption, hope and salvation.
It's the traditional hymns of my childhood, like "He Lives" and "The Old Rugged Cross", and not so much opera, which evoke my memories at Easter of those I loved who are now departed. Easter People hope that death is just the thruway to salvation and eternal life with Jesus. Perhaps the weight of sustaining this faith is why we American Christians match the solemnity of Easter with the frivolity of chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, Easter egg hunts, new clothes and family feasts. All that aside, I'm just glad Easter gives us an opportunity to hear so much glorious music. "Intermezzo" caps off a beautiful day of listening pleasure.
For the first time in 30 years, believers are celebrating "everything, everywhere, at the same time!" So, Happy Easter! Chag Sameach! Ramadan Mubarak!
Beautifully sung by Maria Callas
Thank you for this description as it makes the music mean so much more. A wonderful emotion provoking piece of music which haunts the soul.