Puccini Duo Poster

The Puccini Duo: Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchi

Puccini Duo Poster

By Giacomo Puccini

San Diego Civic Theatre
1100 Third Avenue
San Diego, CA 92101

Saturday, February 11, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Tuesday, February 14, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Friday, February 17, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, February 19, 2023 at 2:00 pm

Listen to a selected playlist from The Puccini Duo! Meet the cast.

This evening, which we are calling The Puccini Duo, brings to life two great Puccini one-act operas.

Suor Angelica tells the story of a woman (Marina Costa-Jackson) who bears a child out of wedlock and is sent to a convent for penance. After seven years, she is visited by her aunt, the Principessa, who brings tragic news of her son, which sets in motion a series of dire actions that ultimately result in tragedy, forgiveness, and peace.

The comic-opera Gianni Schicchi begins with the death of wealthy Florentine Buoso Donati, and his distraught family who are upset about being forgotten in his will. So they enlist the help of fixer Gianni Schicchi who helps turn the tables, but not in the way they expect. Considered a comic masterpiece, this is a dark satire based on a real story mentioned in Dante’s Inferno and includes the famous aria “O mio babbino caro.”

Making a welcome return for these performances is mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe, who will sing the role of the Principessa in Suor Angelica, and will take on the title role of Gianni Schicchi, a role traditionally sung by a baritone, for an opera first! Directed by Kyle Lang and with the San Diego Symphony conducted by Yves Abel, San Diego Opera’s Principal Conductor.

LANGUAGE – Sung in Italian with English and Spanish text projected above the stage

RUN TIME – 2 hours and 15 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission

Mainstage Post-Opera Talk-Back

Stay after the performance for a Talk-Back. Once the curtain falls, there will be a 10-minute break, then join us in the front of the Dress Circle section where you can ask questions of the stars and cast (subject to availability), and find out what really happened onstage and backstage during the performance!

SD Opera Safety Protocols

Meet The Cast

Blythe Stephanie

Stephanie Blythe
Principessa/Gianni Schicchi

Costa Jackson Marina

Marina Costa-Jackson
Lauretta/Suor Angelica

Buszewsi Piotr

Piotr Buszewski
Rinuccio

Cast Guadalupe Paz

Guadalupe Paz
La Maestra delle Novizie

Yves Abel

Yves Abel
Conductor

Lang Kyle

Kyle Lang
Director

Synopsis In English

Suor Angelica
Set in Italy at the end of the 17th century Suor Angelica is the tragic tale of a Florentine noblewoman who bears a child out of wedlock and is sent to a convent to repent for her sins. Angelica’s Aunt, The Princess, visits, her first visitor in seven years. She asks frantically for news of her son. The Aunt’s response is devastating. Two years previously, he was stricken with a mortal sickness, and nothing could save him. Sister Angelica is seized by a heavenly vision – believes she hears her son calling for her to meet him in paradise. She makes a poison and drinks it, but realizes that suicide is a mortal sin and has damned herself to eternal separation from her son. Praying for forgiveness she dies with a vision of her son greeting her in heaven.

Gianni Schicchi
Wealthy Florentine Buoso Donati is dead and his greedy relatives discover that he has left his fortune to the church. His nephew, Rinuccio suggests that his girlfriend’s father can help them. Enter Gianni Schicchi, a shrewd, self-made man with his daughter, Lauretta. Reading the will, Schicchi devises a plan. The relatives send for the notary and Schicchi, disguised as the Buosi, wearing his nightshirt and cap, dictates a new will from his “sickbed”, in which he leaves the greater part of the estate, including Buoso’s house, to his “dear friend Gianni Schicchi.” The relatives are furious, and stealing what they can from the house, are chased out by Schicchi who remains with the happy lovers, Rinuccio and Lauretta. Given their happiness, he turns to the audience and pleads that he not be judged too harshly.

Sinopsis en Español

Sor Angelica
La obra tiene lugar a finales del siglo XVII, Sor Angelica es la trágica historia de una dama Florentina quien tiene un hijo fuera del matrimonio y es enviada a un convento a arrepentirse de sus pecados. La tía de Angelica, la Princesa, la visita, es su primera visita desde hace siete años. Ella le pide desesperadamente que le noticias de su hijo. La respuesta de la tía es devastadora. Hacía dos años que había tenido una enfermedad mortal y nada lo pudo salvar. La hermana Angelica es presa de una visión divina – y cree que escucha la voz de su hijo que la llama para que lo encuentre en el paraíso. Hace un veneno y lo bebe, pero se da cuenta que el suicidio es un pecado mortal y por lo tanto se ha condenado a estar eternamente separada de su hijo. Suplicando el perdón muere con la imagen de su hijo que la recibe en el cielo.

Gianni Schicchi
El millonario florentino Buoso Donati está muerto y sus ambiciosos familiares descubren que le ha dejado su fortuna a la iglesia. Su sobrino, Rinuccio les sugiere que el papá de su novia puede ayudarles. Entra a la escena Gianni Schicchi con su hija Lauretta, él es un hombre astuto que ha salido adelante por sí mismo. Al leer el testamento, Schicchi concibe un plan. Los familiares mandan traer a un notario y Schicchi se disfraza como Buoso, usando su camisón y corro para dormir y dicta un nuevo testamento desde su” lecho de enfermo”, en el cual él deja la mayor parte de herencia, incluyendo su casa, a su “querido amigo Gianni Schicchi”. Los familiares están furiosos, y robándose lo que pueden de la casa, son lazados fuera por Schicchi quien se queda con los felices enamorados, Rinuccio y Lauretta. Dada su felicidad, él se vuelve al público y les suplica que no lo juzguen tan severamente.

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