Evening star., 1945-08-02
Pietro Moscogni, 81, Composer
OF CovoIIeriu Rusticonu, Dies
Operoeoers Recall
Stormy U. S. Tour as
Conductor in 1903

by the AsSoclateC Press.
ROME, Aug. 2.-Pietro Mas.
cagni, 80, famous composer o.
Cavalleria Rusticana and othel
operas, died at 7:l5 am. today
of bronchial pneumonia anc
hardening of the arteries.
Signor Mascaeni died at the Plaza
Hotel, where he had made his home
recently. He leaves an 82-year- -ole
widow.
The composer had long and bril-.
liant career and had reaped large
fortune in royalties from his operas
particularly Cavalleria Rusticana
which outshone all the others jr
popularity His most recent opera
was Nerone, which had its premiere
in 1885.
He had been hit hard by the war
however. His home was seized by
the Socialists after the Germans
were driven from Rome He said
the Socialists had accused him OF
having been a Fascist When the
END of the war came for Italy, his
fortune had vanished.
Although he had conducted operas
during Mussolinis regime a few
years before the war, he said he had
no interest in politics and declared
the Fascists simply exploited his
name.
He lost one of his sons in Musso-
lini's Ethiopian war. The other,
Domenico. he said. got tangled up
with the Fascists," and left Rome
ior Northern Italy before the Allied
entry.
At Signor Mascagni's bedside when
he died were his wife and daughter
Emmy, and the latter's son. His
daughter said the present where
abouts of his surviving son were not
known.
The composer achieved fame al
Is, when Cavalleria Rusticana won
prize competition. Its most fa-
nous aria was the Ave Maria
AMIGO Fritz and Iris are the
best known of his other operas, most
OF which have been virtually for
gotten.
Nerone. which he published pri-
vately with the aid of friends after
one of his frequent battles with pub
fishers, was not success. Signor
Mascagni also quarreled often with
rendering his work.
The composer liked to conduct his
own operas. During the last years
of his life. weakened by old age. he
would remain seated while conduct
ing.
Signor Mascagni is remembered
by veteran operagoers in the United
States because Of the many stormy
incidents which occurred during his
tour Of this country in 1903.
Although the composer conductor
was at the height of his fame and
brought large orchestra to this
country with a $l0,000-a "a week guar
antee. critics of that day described
his tour as ''one Of the biggest busts
in history"
L ilC IldCSbIo. dCCUI ullls W tOIb-
temporary accounts, was engaged in
almost constant disputes with his
management-and with laundries.
His shirts. so he claimed were man.
gled and filled with pins and, as
one of his biographers put it, if
the laundries had been individuals
rather than corporations he would
have challenged them to a duel.
AS climax, some of his musi-
clans were deported by American
on the ground that they
were likely to become public charges.
Signor MaScagni left this country
thoroughly angry.
However, the years apparently
softened his resentment When, re-
Gently, An Associated Press corre-
spondent in Rome found Signor
and his wife living in
poverty. the musician asked that his
greetings be sent to the American
people who had loved his music so
much.
Cant C0ok'S uaiStcoot rocant1y