Marianne Cornetti, a Cabot native and internationally recognized mezzo-soprano, is no stranger to the role of Mamma Lucia in the opera “Cavalleria Rusticana.”

“It’s a role that I performed way back when I first started my career 36 years ago,” she said.

Cornetti will appear in the first offering in Pittsburgh Opera’s double feature of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci.” Performances are 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9; 7 p.m. Nov. 12; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 and 2 p.m. Nov. 17 at 2425 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh.

“Marianne is a tour de force, a true superstar,” said Christian Cox, director of marketing and communications at Pittsburgh Opera. “There’s a reason she’s sold out the world’s most prestigious opera houses time and again.

“We are fortunate that she calls Pittsburgh home, and that we are able to have her on our stage for this show.”

The unique double feature format will allow those who attend to see two operas back-to-back, separated by a single intermission. Each opera will last about 1 hour and 10 minutes.

“Cavalleria Rusticana” tells the tale of Turiddu, who returns from military service to find his fiancée, Lola, is married to another. To incite her jealousy, he seduces a village girl, Santuzza, and a powder keg of passion ensues.

Cornetti’s Mamma Lucia is Turiddu’s mother, who is very reluctant to admit her son has made such poor choices.

She said Mamma Lucia is a “comprimario” role, or smaller role, which she no longer accepted much after her career really took off in 1996.

“I went on to the bigger roles,” Cornetti said.

One of those bigger roles was Santuzza is “Cavalleria Rusticana.”

“I have sung that role all over Italy, and the thing I’m most proud of is that I sang it at La Scala,” Cornetti said. “That was in 2012 or ‘13.”

She said “Cavalleria Rusticana” is set in Italy, and many Italians doubted a non-Italian singer could succeed in the role.

When she played Santuzza at La Scala, she was the first American to sing the role at La Scala, which is the most renowned opera venue of all time.

To say the Italian audience embraced her rendition of Santuzza is an understatement, Cornetti said.

“They stomped their feet!” she recalled with emotion. “As I’m coming off the stage, my manager was standing there just bawling, and he said ‘You did it, Marianne.’”

She said the show’s artistic director was weeping alongside her manager.

“I think it helps that I have an Italian name,” said Cornetti.

Cornetti said in the Pittsburgh Opera performance, she will play Mamma Lucia as a mother who is fiercely protective of her son.

“She doesn’t want to hear from Santuzza, that her son Turiddu was messing around with another woman,” she said.

Although Santuzza tells Mamma Lucia that Turiddu has gotten her pregnant, Mamma Lucia doesn’t want to hear it.

“In this production, I’m playing her a lot harder,” Cornetti said. “She is not just rolling over and believing everything Santuzza says.”

She said she is happy to play a strong woman, which definitely describes Mamma Lucia. She said the opera’s director challenged Cornetti to produce a Mamma Lucia who is a lot less comforting to Santuzza when the younger woman spills the beans on Turiddu’s actions.

“The more I think about it, the more I think he’s correct,” Cornetti said of the direction.

Turiddu eventually resigns himself to the fact that he will be killed for his transgressions, and he begs Mamma Lucia to look after Santuzza after his death.

“I think in the end, she accepts it and probably softens a little bit,” Cornetti said.

She is thrilled to perform in “Cavalleria Rusticana” again.

“This opera is one of my absolute most favorite operas ever,” Cornetti said.

She said the Easter Chorus is one of the most well-known choruses in all of opera.

Cornetti, who turned 62 on Nov. 4, still has many irons in the fire.

“I’m so happy that I am still able to be out there singing,” she said.

Cornetti sang in five performances of “La Gioconda” in March, has performed various roles in Pittsburgh since them, and will sing a Verdi Requiem with the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale in the spring.

She will perform with the Calgary Opera in April, and with the Cleveland Orchestra in May.

She also teaches opera at Duquesne University, Carnegie Mellon University and other institutions.

“A voice doesn’t go on forever and ever, but I feel so fortunate to still continue to do it and that people are still asking for me,” Cornetti said.

As she admittedly approaches the final quarter of her career, Cornetti said it becomes more and more of a challenge to keep her voice healthy.

“You have to continue to practice and sing,” she said.

Cornetti tells students to practice when they are young and just starting their careers, but to make it a point to continue to practice while on their career’s upward trajectory.

She said singers must find time to practice, even when they are too busy with their careers.

“That’s when problems come,” said the seasoned diva. “You have to continue to practice your entire career.”

Tickets for the double feature of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” are available at pittsburghopera.org/CavPag, or by phone at 412-456-6666.