Il trittico (The Triptych ) is the title of a collection of three one-act operas, Il tabarro , Suor Angelica , and Gianni Schicchi , by Giacomo Puccini. The work received its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera on December 14, 1918.

IL TRITTICO TICKETS Cirque du Soleil Tickets Disney On Ice Tickets Radio City Christmas Spectacular Radio City Rockettes Tickets The Nutcracker Tickets Hamilton Tickets

Background

Around 1904, Puccini first began planning a set of one-act operas, largely because of the success of Cavalleria rusticana . ^[1] Originally, he planned to write each opera to reflect one of the parts of Dante's Divine Comedy . However, he eventually based only Gianni Schicchi on Dante's epic poem. ^[2] Puccini also intended that the three always be performed as a set, and indeed was infuriated when they were separated, but today it is quite common to see only one or two performed in an evening. One of the operas may also be paired with another one-act opera by a different composer, an arrangement that Puccini despised even more.

Performance history

The operas premiered at the Metropolitan Opera on December 14, 1918. The critical reviews for Il trittico were mixed; most critics agreed that Gianni Schicchi was the most exemplary of the three operas. ^[3] Il trittico premiered in Rome on January 11, 1919. Puccini, who had not been present for the New York premiere, attended the production at the Rome Opera House. The Rome performance received positive reviews; especially for Gianni Schicchi. Later that year, the trilogy was staged in Buenos Aires (June 25) with Tulio Serafin conducting and in Chicago (December 6). After these initial premieres, most opera companies began to perform the operas separately; Gianni Schicchi would eventually become the most frequently performed of the set. ^[4]

Synopsis

As a whole, Il trittico is quite balanced. Il tabarro , the first act, is very dark and brooding, full of the violence and grit associated with verismo opera. Suor Angelica , the second act, Puccini's personal favorite ^[5] (and usually the one to be omitted if only two of the acts are performed), is an uplifting tale of religious redemption. Gianni Schicchi , the third act, is the most popular, a comedic farce full of greed and conniving.

Modernizations

A critically acclaimed production at the Metropolitan Opera opened on April 20, 2007, directed by Jack O'Brien and was broadcast on television by PBS's Great Performances at the Met series. ^[6] In this production Il tabarro was moved to 1927, Suor Angelica was set in 1938, and Gianni Schicchi was moved from 1299 to 1959. ^[7]

References

1. The Operas of Puccini
2. Puccini's Il Trittico (il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi)
3. The Puccini Problem
4. Ashbrook 1985, 174-6
5. The Victor Book of the Opera
6. "Great Performances at the Met" to Feature Works By Taymor, Sher and O'Brien
7. 3 Puccinis, Separate, but Equal in Grandeur