Prokofiev: Love For Three Oranges

Composer Sergei Prokofiev arrived in New York in September 1918 with no firm plans as to how to support himself. He started giving piano recitals, but his November 1918 debut in New York was only moderately successful. After a performance in Chicago in 1919, Prokofiev was introduced to CLEOFONTE CAMPANINI, conductor of the Chicago Opera. This meeting led to the commissioning of Prokofiev's opera The Love for Three Oranges. A number of difficulties, including a financial dispute and the death of conductor CAMPANINI, delayed the first performance until December 1921, but the work proved to be Prokofiev's most successful opera.