Metropolitan Opera- Il Trittico

This has been my most enjoyable evening at the Met all season. Il Trittico- three one act operas- Il tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi, combine to form an emotionally well-rounded night of opera. Il tabarro is vivid and immediate in its portrait of adultery and murder. The orchestration makes the story come alive through a mysterious, honest, and at times horrific character. Many even consider this opera the composer’s finest work. Douglas W. Schmidt’s set reminded me of post-industrial Brooklyn, past its prime yet still beautiful. Suor Angelica is much more penetrating with it’s raw sentimentality. The story revolves around a nun in a convent who is robbed of her inheritance, shocked by the unexpected death of her son, and eventually takes her own life. Puccini thrives with the one act format and packs in some of the most emotionally mature music ever written. Mr. Jack O’Brien’s production is a beautiful sight. The set, lighting, and staging collectively made this finale one of the most beautiful that I’ve experienced at the Met. Gianni Schicchi is the composer’s only comedy. The clever musical characterization by Puccini brings to life this hilarious comedy. Mr. Schmidt’s set reminded me of the board game Clue, with its mysterious and disheveled look. Schicchi is especially refreshing coming after the first two heart-wrenching operas. Alessandro Corbelli gave us a hilarious Master of Ceremonies as Gianni Schicchi.

All three female leads were beautifully inhabited by the soprano Patricia Racette. In Il tabarro she was shockingly vulnerable as Giorgetta. As Sister Angelica she squeezed all the possible emotion out of the music and performed like one of the best. She has the ability to communicate at such an intense emotional level with the audience, and bare her soul on stage. As Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, Ms. Racette gave us an intelligent and original version on the classic “O mio babbino caro”. Other cast members were memorable as well. Stephanie Blythe gave us her solid, warm, and huge tone along with some very nice acting. In Il tabarro, the tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko sang beautifully as the lover of Giorgetta. Stefano Ranzani’s conducting was excellent. The restrained lyricism coming out from the pit always supported the action no stage. He never gave too much. I must end by talking about the production. As beautiful as the sets were, (they each prompted applause when the curtain rose), they never detracted attention from the music and drama on stage. This was an evening without pretentiousness or divas- each element seemed to contribute towards a combined beauty.