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Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro
Mascagni, after the story by Giovanni Verga, with libretto by
Targioni-Tozzetti, premiered in Rome at the Teatro Costanzi on May 17,
1890.
Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini. First performed on 14 December 1918 at the Metropolitan Opera, New York.
Production
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Cavalleria Rusticana
Setting - A village in Sicily, on Easter Sunday 1880
The events take place on Easter morning. As the villagers pass through the square, Santuzza approaches Mamma Lucia's wine shop and asks her if she has seen her son, Turiddu. Lucia replies that her son is away buying wine, but Santuzza tells her that he was seen in the village the previous evening. Alfio, the carter, arrives and asks Lucia for wine. She responds that Turiddu is away buying it, but Alfio knows that Turiddu has not left the village as he saw Turiddu near his house. Lucia wants to question him further, but Santuzza stops her. Alfio leaves as the villagers arrive for Mass and sing the Easter hymn before entering the church.
Santuzza remains with Lucia who asks her why Santuzza prevented her from speaking. Santuzza reveals that she has been seduced by Turiddu, but that he has now turned his attentions to his former love Lola. Lola is now married to Alfio and Santuzza feels rejected. She asks Mamma Lucia to pray for her. Lucia goes into the church while Santuzza waits for Turiddu. When he appears she tells him that she knows about his relationship with Lola, but that she still loves him and is prepared to forgive him. Turiddu, predictably, denies the whole affair, and an argument ensues. Lola appears and deliberately taunts Santuzza while flirting with Turiddu. Lola leaves and Santuzza cajoles, then chastises Turiddu. She finally curses him after he flings her to the ground and goes after Lola.
Alfio passes by on his way to church, and Santuzza in her anger tells Alfio of his wife's infidelity. She regrets it instantly, but Alfio swears revenge.
The Intermezzo depicts the exultation of Easter. The congregation pour out of the church. Turiddu is with Lola, and stops with his friends at the wine shop. Alfio approaches in the midst of the revelry, and refuses Turiddu's offer of a drink. The women are alarmed and leave, taking Lola with them. In Sicilian fashion, Alfio and Turiddu embrace, Turiddu biting off Alfio's ear, thus accepting the challenge to a duel. Turiddu admits that he is in the wrong, but for the sake of Santuzza is determined to fight for his life. Alfio and the men leave to await Turiddu behind the orchard.
Turridu asks his mother to embrace him, and to look after Santuzza, then rushes off to the fight without giving Lucia any explanation. Santuzza comes to comfort Lucia. There is a scream, and the villagers run into the square with the news that Turiddu has been killed.
Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi is the light relief in Puccini's II Trittico, a trilogy consiting of the verismo drama II Tabarro, the tragic Suor Angelica and the intelligent and cheerful comedy, Gianni Schicchi.
The opera is designed to uplift the audience's spirits -following Tabbaro and Angelica and is perhaps best known for containing that operatic jewel, 0 mio babbino caro.
The hero of the opera is based on a Florentine character immortalised by the great Italian poet Dante Alighieri who placed him in the 30th canto of his Inferno (Hell), a place reserved for frauds.
The story is a witty examination of the diverse feelings and reactions from a family confronted with the demise of their wealthy patriarch. When old Buoso Donati dies, his relatives arrive at his palatial house, ostensibly to pay homage to his memory, but in reality, to ascertain the contents of Bouso's will.
The relatives, in order of power and importance, are Zita and Simone, his first cousins; Marco, Simone's son and his
wife, la Ciesca; Betto and Gherardo, Buoso's nephews;
and Rinuccio, Zita's nephew.
It is Betto who spreads the rumour that Buoso has left his fortune to the monks of Signa. Alarmed by that possibility, the relatives scatter around the
room looking for the will, which, when found, confirms their worst fears. The monks will enjoy the Donati's wealth instead of the Donatis.
Rinuccio has an idea: Gianni Schicchi could be the man to save them. The idea meets with derision: the Donatis could never associate with such a newly arrive d and lowly person. Rinuccio who is in love with Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi's daughter, rejects that notion. Even great people like Giotto, Arnolfo and the Medici family came from the countryside to build the glory that is Florence: Florence reeds people like Schicchi! (Firenze è come un albero fiorito)
Rinuccio sends for Schicchi who arrives accompanied by Lauretta. Confronted by the Donati's negative attitude, Schicchi is about to leave them with their problem but
is persuaded by Lauretta to look at the will. (0 mio babbino
caro). He peruses the document and admits that there
is nothing to be done, unless, he were to be persuaded to impersonate old Buoso and dictate another will. The relatives are ecstatic with the idea, but are reminded by Schicchi of the punishment reserved in Florence for anyone caught impersonating and aiding somebody else for personal gain: first their right hand would be cut off and then they would be exiled. Apprehensive, but too too driven by their greed, the relatives send for the notary while the body and all signs of the wake are removed to another room.
Carefully disguised, Schicchi dictates a new will. He disposes of all the minor properties to everybody's satisfaction, but when it comes to the three most important assets, the best mule in Tuscany, the house in Florence and the windmills in Signa, to the dismay of the relatives, he leaves everything to his dear, beloved friend Gianni Schicchi. Their lamentations are truncated by a reminder of the penalties awaiting all those found guilty of fraud. Once the notary leaves, the relatives ransack the house, stealing as many valuables as possible. Schicchi chases them away from what is now his home. Rinuccio and Lauretta, are ecstatic at being able to marry and spend the rest of their lives in their beloved
Florence in Buoso Donati's house.
Schicchi looks caringly on the lovers and reveals the truth behind his ploy. The greedy Donatis would never have accepted his daughter into their rich family without a large dowry. Now all obstacles have been removed, except for Schicchi himself, who has been condemned by Dante to eternal damnation in hell.
With spoken recitation, he accepts the verdict, but begs understanding from the audience: His plan was completely unselfish.The curtains fall as the orchestra rings out with Schicchi's leitmotif.
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