The tale of Francesca and Paolo in Dante’s Inferno has inspired as many musical settings as paintings. Here, Mark Pullinger explores Rachmaninov’s neglected opera, Francesca da Rimini.
Iolanta and Francesca da Rimini work particularly well as a double bill because both works share the theme of lovers who find themselves at the mercy of possessive forces. Iolanta's domineering father ultimately yields in Tchaikovsky's opera, but in Rachmaninov's the deceitful Lanceotto is not so accommodating.
****1
Sign in to use alerts, your personal diary/wishlist, to save your recent searches, to comment on articles and reviews or if you want to input events.
Please fill in your email address, then click on one of the two buttons.
