Gianni schicchi
2021
Originally inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, Giacomo Puccini composed Gianni Schicchi as the third and final part of Il Trittico which was premiered at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1918.
SPO’s contemporary-set production sees the extended wealthy Donati family feigning grief over the patriarch, Buoso’s recent death but are more concerned for their own interests being reflected in the will.
Discovering their worst fears of being denied rich pickings such as ancestral property, a windmill and a mule(!), the family’s greed drives them to seek the assistance of local ‘wide boy’ Gianni Schicchi who recognises the fundamental emotion of greed can play directly into his hands.
This ‘simple’ tale of duplicity has all the makings of a dark thriller, but the genius of Puccini turns this tale into an hour of hilarious musical comedy.
La Ciesca and Nella (Alexandra Dinwiddie and Patricia Ninian)
Simone, Gherardo, Buoso and La Ciesca (Edwin Kaye, Robin Whitehouse, Tony Bell and Alexandra Dinwiddie)
Rinuccio (Daniel Kringer)
Zita and Lauretta (Jenny Samuel and Stephanie Hershaw)
Gherardina and Gherardino (Clemmie Wheeler and Matthew Chetwood)
Nella, Gherardo, Rinuccio, Marco, Simone and La Ciesca (Patricia Ninian, Robin Whitehouse, Daniel Kringer, Hector Bloggs, Edwin Kaye and Alexandra Dinwiddie)
Gianni Schicchi and Lauretta (Louis Hurst and Stephanie Hershaw)
Zita (Jenny Samuel)
Nella and Gianni Schicchi (Patricia Ninian and Louis Hurst)
All pictures © Ali Wright – www.aliwrightphotography.com
Thanks to Covid, we performed Gianni Schicchi outside, in the church grounds. We were fortunate with the weather (thanks goodness we didn’t try to hold our opera festival this August!) but we wondered how you felt about the event.