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A New Version of Cabiria’s Music

During the census, in the Biblioteca del Collegio San Giuseppe (Turin) a rare version for small orchestra of Manlio Mazza’s music for Giovanni Pastrone’s film Cabiria was uncovered. Scholars until today only knew the version for large orchestra performed for the film two premières in Turin and Milan, in 1914. Very soon, however, this film became very popular also within small or medium cinemas, so that Itala Film studio decided to make three different versions of the score for three instrumental ensembles of different sizes. Featuring the usual ensemble of so-called “orchestrina” of the time (first and second violins, cello, double bass, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, timpani and triangle ad libitum), the version uncovered thanks to Cabiria project, edited by Marco Targa, has been played on 12th October 2013 in Jesi for the film screening within the Festival Pergolesi Spontini.