Emile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrain were lifelong friends living in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France during the mid-nineteenth century. They shared a love of writing popular stories about their neighbors and the revulsion of war with all its horrors. They published anti-militaristic, anti-German literature together with stories of the miseries encountered in the Napoleonic wars, works which were much admired by Victor Hugo and Emile Zola. Their lighter, more popular novels published under the joint name of Erckmann-Chatrain told stories about the people among whom they lived, one of them in 1864 being 'L'ami Fritz' , a pleasing, simple story about some members of the Jewish community who worked in agriculture.

The Jews first came to France during the Roman era when they followed the invading, conquering armies along the Rhine lands to establish trading posts. Since then, there has been a continuous Jewish presence in France. Throughout the years there have been alternating periods of toleration and persecution of the Jews. In 1394 Charles VI expelled them but slowly both Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews returned and settled when they found they could live as traditional Jews without experiencing extreme discrimination. After the French Revolution of 1789 the Jews were granted full citizenship. In September 1791 the Constituent Assembly decreed that all Jews of France were to become full French nationals and receive the same civic rights as every French citizen. All special taxes for Jews were abolished; they were required to pay only the common taxes. From then on Jews were allowed to exercise the profession of their choice, to acquire buildings, to dwell or marry where and whenever they wanted. When Judaism was granted equality with all other recognized religions it was the realization of a longstanding dream. During the 19^th century many French Jews prospered and became active, successful members of French society.

Some years later in Italy, 23-year-old Pietro Mascagni, a poor, unknown composer decided to enter the 1889 one-act opera contest set up by the publisher Eduardo Sonzogno, who was in search of new material to publish. To his absolute delight, Mascagni won the competition with his 'Cavalleria Rusticana'. The opera was staged at Teatro Contanzi in Rome on May 17^th 1890 and was an outstanding success, making Mascagni an international celebrity overnight. It told the story of passion and betrayal, and of fear, superstition and murder provoked by violent sexual jealousy in a rural Sicilian society, with a sustained intensity and realism hitherto not seen or heard on the Italian stage. It established a style of opera known as ‘verismo’, meaning truth. Targioni-Toggetti and Menasci wrote the libretto. It was a thrilling, dramatic masterpiece which to this day never fails to electrify the audience.

The success of 'Cavalleria Rusticana' launched Mascagni on his career and encouraged him to undertake further challenges. He realized that much of the success of his first opera lay in the powerful drama and dialogue of the story, 'prima la parola'. He then decided to look for a simpler story, one without such extreme emotion, a more gentle one which would allow him to display his musical talent in a different, more lyrical and romantic manner, 'prima la musica'. With this in mind he accepted the story 'L'ami Fritz' for his next opera. Nicola Daspura wrote the libretto and 'L'amico Fritz' was staged in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi on October 31, 1891.

'L'amico Fritz' tells the story of a bachelor, Fritz, a Jewish landowner. The opera opens with the celebration of his 40th birthday with friends and tenants bringing him greetings and gifts, one of the tenants being a young, poor peasant girl, Suzel. Fritz tells Rabbi David that he has recently provided dowries (nudans) for two of his tenants but that he himself has no intention of ever marrying. The Rabbi makes a bet with him that he will marry within the year. Fritz naturally scoffs at the idea but accepts the bet, waging his best vineyard that the Rabbi is wrong. He finds that he becomes interested in Suzel, eventually falling in love with her captivating ways. The Rabbi tests both Fritz and Suzel about their feelings, telling Fritz that he has found a shiduch (suitable husband) for Suzel and questioning Suzel about the Old Testament story of Abraham seeking a wife for Isaac. The opera ends happily with Fritz and Suzel confessing their love for one another. The Rabbi wins his bet and promptly donates his prize as a nudan for Suzel.

The whole tone of 'L'amico Fritz' differs from ‘Cavalleria Rusticana’ in that it portrays an idyllic, gentle, pastoral world, accompanied by continuously wonderful lyrical melodies with refined harmonies and off-stage choruses of genuine Alsatian folk songs. The premiere was a triumph, several numbers were repeated and there were numerous curtain calls. Primo Levi writing in 'L'Italico' much later, said, "that the second act would be enough to give Mascagni a place in the sublime ranks of creators from which he would never be removed whatever failures yet may come." Shortly afterwards 'L'amico Fritz' was played across Europe to great acclaim. Gustav Mahler conducted it in Hamburg in 1892, four years before his conversion to Catholicism. Following 'Cavalleria Rusticana' it became the second favorite of Mascagni's operas

For several years from 1895 Mascagni worked as the director of Rossini's Liceo Musicale in Pesaro making it one of the most successful music academies in Italy. He continued to write operas, orchestral and vocal works and piano music but none of them achieved the outstanding success of his first two operas. He also pursued a career in conducting. In 1902 Mascagni resigned his position at the Liceo Musicale in order to tour the United States, where he performed in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and San Francisco. A few years later in 1910, Mascagni left his wife Lina and three children and began an affair with Anna Lolli which continued throughout his life.

By the mid-1920s Mascagni realized that his career was floundering and he chose to align himself with Mussolini's rising Fascist party, becoming known as their musical mouthpiece and composer laureate. In 1932 he formally joined the Fascist party and began to compose and conduct music for official occasions, appearing at times on the podium in the fascist black shirt. In 1935 he wrote a three act opera, 'Nerone' honoring Benito Mussolini; in Mascagni's own words; ' I shoved 'Nerone' up the Duce's arse!' His relationship with the fascist party was not without its problems but that did not prevent him from accepting a pension from the regime. Many Italian musicians chose to boycott Mascagni's works leading to years of poverty and disgrace for him. Adding to his misfortune was the loss of his son who was killed in 1936 whilst fighting in the Ethiopian campaign.

Mascagni's final appearance on stage was at La Scala, Milan in April 1943 when he conducted a performance of 'L'amico Fritz'. In compliance with his revised political sentiments, the score had been totally adjusted to conform to Italy's anti-Semitic laws of 1938; its Jewish character had been completely annihilated by replacing the role of the rabbi with a doctor. Mascagni's association with Mussolini led to his downfall after the collapse of the Fascist regime in 1943. He went into seclusion by moving into a single room in the Albergo Plaza in Rome where he lived until his death in 1945 aged 82; his fascist associations had long left him friendless, impoverished and discredited.