Franco Battiato is one of Italy's leading pop stars, but his studies were classical and he is therefore able to dedicate himself successfully also to operatic and symphonic music.
The Casa Musicale Sonzogno has published his third opera, Il Cavaliere dell'intelletto, composed in celebration of the eighth centenary of the birth of Friedrich II of Hohenstaufen (1194-1250), the great German Emperor who made Palermo, where he had a splendid court, culturally and politically the most important city of the Holy Roman Empire.
The opera was performed for the first time in the Cathedral of Palermo, and has since been taken on tour throughout Italy
The score of Il Cavaliere dellÂ’intelletto
A scene from Il Cavaliere dellÂ’intelletto (1994, Palermo Cathedral, scenes by Luca Volpatti, costumes by Augusta Dulio)
The “Hawks’ Dance” from Il Cavaliere dell’intelletto (choreographer and first dancer Raffaella Rossellini)
Another image of the “Hawks’ Dance”
The libretto of Il Cavaliere dellÂ’intelletto