Zanetto translation by Emilio Praga of François Coppée's play "Le passant" (The passer-by) in which the young Sarah Bernhardt had won fame in the "en travesti" role of Zanetto. "Zanetto" represented a return by Mascagni to the one-act format of his first opera "Cavalleria rusticana", which had premiered in 1890. However, the Renaissance setting of "Zanetto" was a far cry from the gritty contemporary story he used for "Cavalleria rusticana", the work that made him famous. By 1893, Mascagni was simultaneously working on three operas: "Vistilia", based on a novel by Rocco de Zerbi set in ancient Rome; "Guglielmo Ratcliff", which
Chelsea Opera and received critical acclaim from "Opera News": the operas "had great appeal both to old opera hands and to first-time operagoers." Each season now includes multiple offerings within its concert series, "Chelsea Opera presents…", a series of thematic concerts featuring the company’s principal singers and guest artists, whose number now exceeds 400 who have performed principal roles, sung in the ensemble, been involved in design/production, and played in the Chelsea Opera Chamber Orchestra (“COCO”). Chelsea Opera’s performances to date have included "Suor Angelica", "Amahl and the Night Visitors" (also given an encore presentation in November 2009), "Cavalleria Rusticana", "Pagliacci", "Don