About the work
Amica is a 'poème dramatique' in two acts separated by an orchestral intermezzo, Mascagni's only opera to a French libretto, written by the publisher Paul de Choudens under the pen name Paul Bérel. It premiered on 16 March 1905 at the Salle Garnier in Monte-Carlo, conducted by the composer, with Geraldine Farrar in the title role.
Plot
In the Piedmont Alps around 1900, old Camoine wants his niece Amica to marry Giorgio, the elder of two orphaned brothers he has raised. Amica, however, loves Giorgio's younger brother Rinaldo and elopes with him. When Giorgio catches up with the couple in the mountains and discovers his rival is his own brother, Rinaldo abandons the desperate Amica, who then throws herself to her death.
Cultural significance
The Monte-Carlo premiere was warmly received, while the Italian premiere in Rome two months later suffered from technical problems. With around 400 performances across Europe and South America over some six years, Amica enjoyed a period of success before fading once Mascagni stopped conducting it himself.