Le Villi

Description

by Giacomo Puccini

Preludio and Tregenda for Brass Band

arr. by Mirko Caruso

The Opera Le Villi is the first opera written by Puccini and was performed for the first time in Hamburg in 1892 with Gustav Mahler on the podium. The poet Heinrich Heine wrote this description of the fairy figures called La Villi (The Willis): “The Willis are betrothed maidens who died before their wedding. These poor creatures cannot find rest in their graves. In their dead hearts, in their dead feet, lives the passion for dancing, a passion that they have failed to satisfy during their lives. At midnight they appear in groups along the country roads. Woe to the young man who meets them! until I die!”

Puccini wrote La Tregenda as one of two movements to be used as symphonic interludes between the two acts of the opera, a frenetic dance of witches casting an evil spell on the unsuspecting victim. The dance progressively increases in speed and intensity, offering a stunning display of energy and excitement.