Filumena Lassandro

Filumena Lassandro (died 1923) was the last woman to be executed in Alberta.

Biography

Born in Southern Italy, Ms. Lassandro emigrated to Southern Alberta and married Carlie Lassandro in 1915. This allegedly poor marriage led Ms. Lassandro into the world of bootlegging, as Prohibition was legal in Alberta at the time. She developed a professional and criminal relationship with Emilio Picariello also known as “The Emperor Pic.”

Mr. Picariello was an entrepreneur based in Blairmore, Alberta. He was engaged in legal businesses such as manufacturing ice cream and as an hotelier (the Alberta Hotel in Blairmore), however this was a front for rampant bootlegging activity.

Charlie Lassandro was one of Picariello’s employees and permitted Filumena to work with Picariello to smuggle alcohol from British Columbia to Alberta and Montana. It was alleged that Filumena was in love with Picariello’s son, Steve.

Steve became involved in a police chase in September 1921 leaving him shot by a Constable Lawson of the Alberta Provincial Police. Steve escaped to Machel/Natel B.C. but it had left unconfirmed circumstances regarding to his injuries. Emilio Picariello and Filumena met up with Constable Lawson in Coleman and he was fatally wounded. He allegedly died in front of his family.

Both Emilio and Filumena were convicted for the Constable’s murder, however, the trial was a questionable affair. Both sentenced for a hanging, they both sought clemency from the courts, the Justice Minister, and the Prime Minister. Filumena was hung on the gallows at the Fort Saskatchewan penitentiary. [http://www.albertascene.ca/en/filumena/who.asp]

Life in Works

On February 1, 2003, Canadian composer John Estacio, and Canadian librettist John Murrell, premiered an opera based on Ms. Lassandro's life and tragic death in Calgary, Alberta. This opera was again performed at the Banff Centre for the Arts in August 2003.

Featured in Ottawa, Ontario in April 2005, during the Alberta Scene festival. This festival was a celebration of Albertan culture during the centenary anniversary.

This opera was again featured in Edmonton, Alberta in November 2005 as the opening work for the Edmonton Opera’s 2005/2006 season. This was considered a gift to the Alberta people as a story about Alberta and its tragic past. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation will be broadcasting a performance of this opera March 9, 2006.

External links

* [http://www.filumena.com/ Filumena Opera Website]
* [http://www.albertascene.ca/en/filumena/index.asp Alberta Scene Website]