By pure coincidence, two American operas based on classic Italian novels had their premieres about five weeks apart. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis premiered in New York on January 27; The Leopard premiered in Miami on March 5. Having discussed the first opera elsewhere, I will concentrate on the second here — but they have a connection.

Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa wrote his novel, The Leopard, from 1954 to 1956. He could not find a publisher. He died in ’57. Elena Croce (daughter of Benedetto) gave the manuscript to her friend Giorgio Bassani — who would come out with his book The Garden of the Finzi-Continis in 1962. Bassani saw to it that the Feltrinelli house published The Leopard. This novel became classic almost immediately.