In this world-premiere production, a mother and daughter fight for survival against the backdrop of Italy at war. Based on the 1958 novel La Ciociara, with a score by Marco Tutino, this emotional drama evokes human resilience in the face of extreme destruction and devastation during World War II.
As the Germans begin to invade and fascism falls, Cesira (Anna Caterina Antonacci) and her 16-year-old daughter, Rosetta (Sarah Shafer), flee Rome for the mountains in the hope of finding a way out of the conflict. Once free of Rome, they face further hardship as they encounter a desperate rural community, full of evacuees like themselves, caught up in the turmoil.
Love, fear, and loss of innocence play a big part in this incredible story of these two stunningly strong-willed and irrepressible women. Listen on Saturday, October 24, 1 to 4 pm on WRTI.
TWO WOMEN (in Italian)
COMPOSER: Marco Tutino
LIBRETTO: Marco Tutino and Fabio Ceresa
CAST:
Cesira - Anna Caterina Antonacci
Rosetta - Sarah Shafer
Michele - Dimitri Pittas
Giovanni - Mark Delavan
ENSEMBLE: San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Chorus
CONDUCTOR: Nicola Luisotti
CHORUS DIRECTOR: Ian Robertson