 | Students rehearse a scene from "Gianni Schicchi," one of two works by Puccini being presented by Yale Opera at the Shubert Theater Feb. 13-15. |
Two one-act operas by Giacomo Puccini -- one designed to inspire laughter, the other to evoke tears -- will be presented by Yale Opera as its major production of the year Friday-Sunday, Feb. 13-15, at the Shubert Theater, 247 College St.
Italian conductor Giuseppe Grazioli and American stage director Marc Verzatt will lead the vocal artists from Yale Opera in the production of "Gianni Schicchi" and "Suor Angelica," which will feature accompaniment by the Philharmonia Orchestra of Yale.
Yale Opera, part of the School of Music, has been hailed as America's foremost training ground for young singers. Doris Yarick Cross, professor of voice at the School of Music, is its artistic director.
"Gianni Schicchi" and "Suor Angelica" are two of the three single-act operas that comprise Puccini's "Il Trittico" ("Triptych"). The former, a comic work set in 13th-century Florence, tells the tale of a greedy family who are shocked to discover that a rich relative has left his fortune to a group of monks. They enlist the help of Gianni Schicchi, who promises to see that the family members get what they deserve. In "Suor Angelica," a tragedy set in the 18th century, the title character is sent to a convent by her noble family to atone for an illicit relationship that resulted in the birth of a son. Once there, she continues to suffer their wrath.
Puccini wrote "Il Trittico" -- which also includes "Il Tabarro," the violent tale of a love triangle in early 20th-century Paris -- in 1918. Due to the havoc caused in Europe by the outbreak of World War I, the works were premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York to great acclaim. Puccini, unable to obtain a visa and afraid of crossing the mine-filled Atlantic, remained in Italy.
Maestro Grazioli, founder of the Harmonia Ensemble Chamber Orchestra, returns to the United States for the second time for this production, having conducted "Lucia di Lamermoor" for Washington Opera at the Kennedy Center in 2002. Grazioli worked as an assistant to many conductors including Leonard Bernstein. In 1995, he made his debut in France with "Madame Butterfly" in Saint-Etienne and then at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux. Since then, he has been a guest conductor in productions throughout Europe.
Verzatt has directed opera and theatrical productions throughout the United States. He began his theatrical career as a dancer with New York City's Metropolitan Opera after studying drama at Rutgers University and ballet with New Jersey's Garden State Ballet. He spent several seasons as a dance soloist with the Met before leaving to pursue his interest in directing. He made his professional directing debut with a production of Offenbach's "Tales of Hoffman" at Opera/Columbus, and directed a production of opera scenes for Yale Opera in 2002.
"Gianni Schicchi" and "Suor Angelica" will be presented at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 13 and 14, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15. Tickets range in price from $16 to $38, and may be obtained at the Shubert box office at 247 Church St., by phone at (800) 228-6622, or online at www.shubert.com.
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