Brunch: 11:30 AM, UMC Aspen Room
Opera: Sunday, March 18, 2012 — 2:00 PM, Macky Auditorium
by Giacomo Puccini
Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica are two parts of a trilogy of one-act operas composed by Giacomo Puccini in 1917-18. Suor Angelica is a drama of desire set in a 17th century convent; Sister Angelica longs to reconnect with her noble family and make peace for her sins, but has hidden a terrible secret from the sisters with whom she lives. When her aunt comes to the convent, Angelica must face the truth of her past. By contrast, Gianni Schicchi is a farce based on an incident in Dante’s Divine Comedy. When Buoso Donati dies without leaving a will favorable to his relatives, they connive to inherit the property by deceiving the townspeople with the help of Gianni Schicchi, a newcomer to the town. Yet Schicchi has plans of his own regarding his daughter’s marriage and Buoso’s wealth. These two operas show the breadth of Puccini’s work, from his haunting melodic talent to his comic skill.
