Behind beautiful music sometimes lurks the shadow of violence. Something horrible awaits the audience in the final scene of many operas. And at least one composer, the Renaissance’s Carlo Gesualdo, was a murderer. Two concerts this weekend touch upon this aspect of music. And while they may cause an occasional shudder, they should ultimately leave audiences uplifted.

The New Jersey Festival Orchestra and Opera at Florham will offer a semi-staged performance of Pietro Mascagni’s tragic one-act opera “Cavalleria rusticana,” leavened by A. Louis Scarmolin’s comic “The Interrupted Serenade” on Sunday at the Ridge Performing Arts Center.

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Source: http://www.app.com/