Puccini A to Z – Suor Angelica
A as in Suor Angelica
Suor Angelica is a one-act opera on a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano and, with Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicchi, is part of the Trittico. A trittico is a word of Greek origins, initially used to describe a painting or a sculpture divided in three parts. It then became used in other forms of art as a synonym of trilogy.
Farrar and Perini in Suor Angelica, 1918
Some history
Suor Angelica was premiered on December 14, 1918 – six years before Puccini’s death – at the Metropolitan Opera House of New York with Geraldine Farrar, Flora Perini and Minnie Egener and as main interpreters and Roberto Moranzoni on the podium.
Inspiration is an awakening, a quickening of all man’s faculties, and it is manifested in all high artistic achievements
It’s one of the few operas in history to only cast females characters. Suor Angelica was Puccini’s favorite of the operas of the Trittico: his writing for title role is unique, with melodies moving in simple steps rather than big dramatic leaps. Angelica is a victim of the events and, in his eyes, an angel by nature and by name.
Puccini asked for help with some Latin words to a his friend Pietro Panichelli, a Dominican friar who had already helped him with Tosca. In a letter dated May 1st, 1917 he wrote: “I’m writing a claustral or monastic opera. I need several Latin words for it. My knowledge doesn’t go as high as yours“. Moreover, Puccini had a sister, Iginia, who had entered the Agostinian order in Vicopelago, a small town near Lucca: she was one of the first to hear the opera, performed at the piano by Puccini himself.
Gilda dalla Rizza
The European premiere came, on January 11, 1919 at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, the very same theater that had seen the premiere of Tosca back in 1900. Gino Marinuzzi (1882-1945) was conducting with Gilda Dalla Rizza, considered Puccini’s favorite soprano, singing the title role.
For her, Puccini added the aria Senza mamma, ought to become the most famous aria of the opera. As Julian Budden notices in his book “Puccini: his life and works”, this aria was followed by another one, the Aria dei fiori (Flowers aria), “listing the flowers from which Angelica intends to brew a deadly potion. This ‘aria dei fiori’ is one of Puccini’s boldest harmonic ventures in which tonality is virtually suspended. Most sopranos omitted it from early on, including Gilda Dalla Rizza, despite Puccini’s pleas to the contrary”.[1]
The aria was completely removed from the opera in the definitive edition.
Synopsis
The action takes place in a convent in late 1600.
Suor Angelica (soprano) has been living for 7 years in a convent where she was sent by her aristocratic family for having had a child without being married. The scene opens on some everyday aspects of life in a convent: the sisters sing hymns, they have recreation in the courtyard, the Monitor scolds two sisters. They rejoice in it being the first of three evenings in each year when the sunset light strikes the fountain, turning its water golden. Remembering Sister Bianca Rosa, Sister Genevieve suggests they pour some of that golden water on her tomb.
As the nuns begin to discuss their own desires, Suor Angelica claims to have none. But the sisters start gossiping, knowing that Angelica’s true desire is to hear from her family, none of its members having visited her in seven years. News arrive that a grand couch is waiting outside the convent and the Abbess announces the visitor, Suor Angelica’s aunt.
The woman, who manages the family wealth after the death of Angelica’s parents, explains that Angelica’s sister is to be married and that Angelica must sign an act renouncing to any inheritance. Angelica replies that she cannot forget the son that was taken from her seven years earlier. As her aunt informs her glacially that the child is dead, Angelica signs the document and collapses in tears.
Devastated, Suor Angelica decides to take her own life by drinking a poison made with the flowers picked from the convent’s garden. After drinking the poison she realizes that she has committed a mortal sin, damning herself to be forever apart from her son. Begging for mercy, she sees the Virgin Mary surrounded by light and accompanied by a celestial music. the Virgin Mary, as a sign of forgiveness, appears with Angelica’s son who runs to embrace his mother.
Discography
There are quite a few remarkable recordings of Suor Angelica on the market, starting with the great one from the Teatro dell’Opera of Rome with Tullio Serafin on the podium, in 1957. The following is by no means a graded list, rather a chronological one.
1951 - RAI Orchestra of Milan
Conductor – Fernando Previtali
Orchestra – RAI Milano
Chorus – RAI Milano
Suor Angelica – Rosanna Carteri
La Zia Principessa – Miti Truccato Pace
La Badessa – Marta Solaro
La Zelatrice – Amelita Minniti
La Maestra delle novizie – Lia Ceri
Suor Genovieffa – Wanda Strappo
Suor Osmina – Gilda Capozzi
Suor Dolcina – Carla Pozzi
La Sorella Infermiera – Lita Donati
1957 - Rome Opera Theater
Conductor – Tullio Serafin
Orchestra – Teatro dell’Opera of Rome
Chorus – Teatro dell’Opera of Rome
Suor Angelica – Victoria de los Ángeles
La Zia Principessa – Fedora Barbieri
La Badessa – Mina Doro
La Zelatrice – Corinna Vozza
La Maestra delle novizie – Mina Doro
Suor Genovieffa – Lydia Marimpietri
Suor Osmina – Santa Chissari
Suor Dolcina – Anna (Maria) Marcangeli
La Sorella Infermiera – Teresa Cantarini
La Cercatrice – Lydia Marimpietri
1958 - San Carlo Theater
Conductor – Tullio Serafin
Orchestra – Teatro San Carlo of Naples
Suor Angelica – Leyla Gencer
La Zia Principessa – Neda Monte
La Badessa – Maja Sunara
La Zelatrice – Jole de Maria
La Maestra delle novizie – Vera Magrini
Suor Genovieffa – Nunzia Mosca
1962 - Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Conductor – Lamberto Gardelli
Orchestra – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Chorus – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Suor Angelica – Renata Tebaldi
La Zia Principessa – Giulietta Simionato
La Badessa – Lucia Danieli
La Zelatrice – Miti Truccato Pace
La Maestra delle novizie – Anna Di Stasio
Suor Genovieffa – Dora Carral
Suor Osmina – Yeda Valtriani
Suor Dolcina – Giuliana Tavolaccini
La Sorella Infermiera – Anna Di Stasio
1963 - Teatro Colón
Conductor – Bruno Bartoletti
Orchestra – Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires
Suor Angelica – Luisa Maragliano
La Zia Principessa – Oralia Domínguez
La Badessa – Isabel Casey
La Zelatrice – Carmen Burello
La Maestra delle novizie – Tota de Igarzábal
Suor Genovieffa – Olga Chelavine
Suor Osmina – Pellegrina Rossi
Suor Dolcina – Diamela Molina
La Cercatrice 1 – María del C. Ecignard
La Cercatrice 2 – Amanda Cetera
Una novizia – Consuelo Ramos
La conversa 1 – Corrada Malfa
La conversa 2 – Sofia Schultz
1965 - Covent Garden
Conductor – John Pritchard
Orchestra – Covent Garden
Suor Angelica – Joan Carlyle
La Zia Principessa – Sylvia Fisher
La Badessa – Maureen Guy
La Zelatrice – Yvonne Minton
La Maestra delle novizie – Noreen Berry
Suor Genovieffa – Jeannette Sinclair
La Sorella Infermiera – Maureen Morelle
1967 - New York City Opera (1)
Conductor – Franco Patanè
Orchestra – New York City Opera
Chorus – New York City Opera
Suor Angelica – Elizabeth Carron
La Zia Principessa – Evelyn Sachs
La Badessa – Charlotte Povia
La Zelatrice – Beverly Evans
La Maestra delle novizie – Kay Creed
Suor Genovieffa – Joan Summers
Suor Dolcina – Donna Owen
La Cercatrice 1 – Lou Ann Wyckoff
Una novizia – Pearle Goldsmith
La conversa 1 – La Vergne Monette
La conversa 2 – Joan August
Due novizie – Hanna Owen, Anthea De Forest
1967 - New York City Opera (2)
Conductor – Franco Patanè
Orchestra – New York City Opera
Chorus – New York City Opera
Suor Angelica – Beverly Sills
La Zia Principessa – Frances Bible
La Badessa – Charlotte Povia
La Zelatrice – Beverly Evans
La Maestra delle novizie – Kay Creed
Suor Genovieffa – Joan Summers
Suor Dolcina – Donna Owen
La Cercatrice 1 – Maria West
La conversa 1 – Linda Heimall
La conversa 2 – Joan August
Due novizie – Hanna Owen, Anthea De Forest
1967 - Dallas Civic Opera
Conductor – Nicola Rescigno
Orchestra – Dallas Civic Opera
Suor Angelica – Ilva Ligabue
La Zia Principessa – Oralia Domínguez
1967 - Liceu
Conductor – Bruno Rigacci
Orchestra – Gran Teatro del Liceu of Barcellona
Suor Angelica – Virginia Zeani
La Zia Principessa – Anna Maria Rota
1969 - La Fenice
Conductor – Oliviero De Fabritiis
Orchestra – Teatro La Fenice of Venice
Suor Angelica – Maria Chiara
La Zia Principessa – Adriana Lazzarini
La Badessa – Mafalda Masini
La Zelatrice – Luciana Palombi
La Maestra delle novizie – Licia Galvano
Suor Genovieffa – Giovanna di Rocco
Suor Osmina – Marisa Salimbeni
Suor Dolcina – Rosetta Pizzo
La Sorella Infermiera – Vera Magrini
La Cercatrice 1 – Margherita Benetti
La Cercatrice 2 – Mirna Pecile
Una novizia – Anna Maria Bixio
La conversa 1 – Rosanna Lippi
La conversa 2 – Anna Lia Bazzani
1973 - Santa Cecilia
Conductor – Bruno Bartoletti
Orchestra – Santa Cecilia
Chorus – Santa Cecilia
Suor Angelica – Katia Ricciarelli
La Zia Principessa – Fiorenza Cossotto
La Badessa – Maria Grazia Allegri
La Zelatrice – Anna Di Stasio
La Maestra delle novizie – Maria Grazia Allegri
Suor Genovieffa – Rosanna Lippi
Suor Osmina – Margherita Benetti
Suor Dolcina – Miwako Matsumoto
La Sorella Infermiera – Anna Di Stasio
La Cercatrice 1 – Margherita Benetti
La Cercatrice 2 – Anna Di Stasio
Una novizia – Rosanna Lippi
La conversa 1 – Miwako Matsumoto
La conversa 2 – Maria Grazia Allegri
1976 - Metropolitan Opera House
Conductor – Sixten Ehrling
Orchestra – Metropolitan Opera
Suor Angelica – Renata Scotto
La Zia Principessa – Lili Chookasian
La Badessa – Jean Kraft
La Maestra delle novizie – Batyah Godfrey Ben-David
Suor Genovieffa – Betsy Norden
Suor Osmina – Mary Fercana
Suor Dolcina – Elizabeth Anguish
La Sorella Infermiera – Cynthia Munzer
La Cercatrice 1 – Alma Jean Smith
La Cercatrice 2 – Elena Doria
La conversa 1 – Maureen Smith
La conversa 2 – Joyce Olson
Due novizie – Linda Mays, Shinja Kwak
1976 - New Philharmonia Orchestra
Conductor – Lorin Maazel
Orchestra – New Philharmonia Orchestra
Chorus – Ambrosian Opera Chorus & Desborough School Choir
Suor Angelica – Renata Scotto
La Zia Principessa – Marilyn Horne
La Badessa – Patricia Payne
La Zelatrice – Gillian Knight
La Maestra delle novizie – Ann Howard
Suor Genovieffa – Ileana Cotrubas
Suor Osmina – Doreen Cryer
Suor Dolcina – Margaret Cable
La Sorella Infermiera – Elizabeth Bainbridge
La Cercatrice 1 – Shirley Minty
La Cercatrice 2 – Gloria Jennings
Una novizia – Della Jones
La conversa 1 – Ursula Connors
La conversa 2 – Amy Gunson
1977 - Metropolitan Opera House
Conductor – James Levine
Orchestra – Metropolitan Opera
Suor Angelica – Teresa Zylis-Gara
La Zia Principessa – Fedora Barbieri
La Badessa – Jean Kraft
La Zelatrice – Shirley Love
La Maestra delle novizie – Elvira Green
Suor Genovieffa – Betsy Norden
Suor Osmina – Linore Aronson
Suor Dolcina – Ann Florio
La Sorella Infermiera – Cynthia Munzer
La Cercatrice 1 – Alma Jean Smith
La Cercatrice 2 – Elena Doria
La conversa 1 – Joyce Olson
La conversa 2 – Maureen Smith
Due novizie – Linda Mays, Barbara Bystrom
1978 - National Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor – Richard Bonynge
Orchestra – National Philharmonic Orchestra
Chorus – London Opera Chorus – Finchley Children’s Music Group
Suor Angelica – Joan Sutherland
La Zia Principessa – Christa Ludwig
La Badessa – Anne Collins
La Zelatrice – Elizabeth Connell
La Maestra delle novizie – Enid Hartle
Suor Genovieffa – Isobel Buchanan
Suor Osmina – Marie McLaughlin
Suor Dolcina – Della Jones
La Sorella Infermiera – Janet Price
La Cercatrice 1 – Elizabeth Gale
La Cercatrice 2 – Hannah Francis
Una novizia – Miriam Bowen
La conversa 1 – Helen Walker
La conversa 2 – Doreen Walker
1979 - Wiener Staatsoper
Conductor – Gerd Albrecht
Orchestra – Wiener Staatsoper
Suor Angelica – Pilar Lorengar
La Zia Principessa – Kersten Meyer
La Badessa – Margarethe Bence
La Zelatrice – Axelle Gall
La Maestra delle novizie – Cseslawa Slania
Suor Genovieffa – Olivera Miljakovic
Suor Dolcina – Maria Venuti
La Cercatrice 1 – Sylvia Herman
La Cercatrice 2 – Margaretha Hintermeier
Due novizie – Elfriede (Elfie) Hobarth, Irmgard Röschner
1981 - Metropolitan Opera House (1)
Conductor – Angelo Campori
Orchestra – Metropolitan Opera
Suor Angelica – Gilda Cruz-Romo
La Zia Principessa – Bianca Berini
La Badessa – Jean Kraft
La Zelatrice – Gwynn Cornell
La Maestra delle novizie – Batyah Godfrey Ben-David
Suor Genovieffa – Betsy Norden
Suor Osmina – Susan Vaughan
Suor Dolcina – Elizabeth Anguish
La Sorella Infermiera – Claudia Catania
La Cercatrice 1 – Loretta Di Franco
La Cercatrice 2 – Mary Fercana
La conversa 1 – Constance Webber
La conversa 2 – Nadyne Brewer
Due novizie – Suzanne Der Derian, Joyce Olson
1981 - Metropolitan Opera House (2)
Conductor – James Levine
Orchestra – Metropolitan Opera
Suor Angelica – Renata Scotto
La Zia Principessa – Jocelyne Taillon
La Badessa – Jean Kraft
La Zelatrice – Gwynn Cornell
La Maestra delle novizie – Batyah Godfrey Ben-David
Suor Genovieffa – Betsy Norden
Suor Osmina – Linore Aronson
Suor Dolcina – Ann Florio
La Sorella Infermiera – Claudia Catania
La Cercatrice 1 – Loretta Di Franco
La Cercatrice 2 – Elena Doria
Una novizia – Linda Mays
La conversa 1 – Elyssa Lindner
La conversa 2 – Janet Wagner
Due novizie – Linda Mays, Barbara Bystrom
1982 - Hungarian State Opera
Conductor – Lamberto Gardelli
Orchestra – Hungarian State Opera
Chorus – Hungarian State Opera
Suor Angelica – Ilona Tokody
La Zia Principessa – Eszter Póka
La Badessa – Zsuzsa Barlay
La Zelatrice – Maria Teresa Uribe
La Maestra delle novizie – Tamara Takács
Suor Genovieffa – Katalin Pitti
Suor Osmina – Magda Pulveri
Suor Dolcina – Zsuzsa Misura
La Sorella Infermiera – Janka Bekás
La Cercatrice 1 – Janka Bekás
La Cercatrice 2 – Margit Keszthelyi
Una novizia – Ildikó Szönyi
La conversa 1 – Zsuzsa Misura
La conversa 2 – Zsuzsa Barlay
1983 - Teatro alla Scala
Conductor – Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Orchestra – Teatro alla Scala
Chorus – Teatro alla Scala
Suor Angelica – Rosalind Plowright
La Zia Principessa – Dunja Vejzovic
La Badessa – Maria Grazia Allegri
La Zelatrice – Jole Arno
La Maestra delle novizie – Nella Verri
Suor Genovieffa – Giovanna Santelli
Suor Osmina – Maria Dalla Spezia
Suor Dolcina – Mildela D’ Amico
1987 - Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Conductor – Giuseppe Patanè
Orchestra – Münchner Rundfunkorchester
Chorus – Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Suor Angelica – Lucia Popp
La Zia Principessa – Marjana Lipovsek
La Badessa – Marga Schiml
La Zelatrice – Diane Jennings
La Maestra delle novizie – Birgit Calm
Suor Genovieffa – Gabriella Ferroni
Suor Osmina – Gabriella Ferroni
Suor Dolcina – Mechthild Georg
La Sorella Infermiera – Valerie Errante
La Cercatrice 1 – Ellen van Lier
La Cercatrice 2 – Karin Hautermann
La conversa 1 – Monika Schmitt
La conversa 2 – Adelheid Schiller
1988 - Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Conductor – Bruno Bartoletti
Orchestra – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Chorus – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Suor Angelica – Diana Soviero
La Zia Principessa – Elena Souliotis
La Badessa – Corinna Vozza
La Zelatrice – Laura Zannini
La Maestra delle novizie – Luisa Gallmetzer
Suor Genovieffa – Giovanna Santelli
Suor Osmina – Marisa Zotti
Suor Dolcina – Giuliana Matteini
La Sorella Infermiera – Aracelly Haengel
La Cercatrice 1 – Laura Toppetti
La Cercatrice 2 – Gigiola Caputi
La conversa 1 – Elisa Dakin
La conversa 2 – Marsha Anderson
La conversa 3 – Sharon Sage
Due novizie – Gabriella Cecchi, Daryl Greene
1991 - Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Conductor – Bruno Bartoletti
Orchestra – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Chorus – Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Suor Angelica – Mirella Freni
La Zia Principessa – Elena Souliotis
La Badessa – Gloria Scalchi
La Zelatrice – Ewa Podles
La Maestra delle novizie – Nicoletta Curiel
Suor Genovieffa – Barbara Frittoli
Suor Osmina – Valeria Esposito
Suor Dolcina – Olga Romanko
La Sorella Infermiera – Debora Beronesi
1993 - Belgian Radio and Tv
Conductor – Alexander Rahbari
Orchestra – Belgian Radio and Tv
Suor Angelica – Miriam Gauci
La Zia Principessa – Lucienne van Deyck
La Badessa – Michaela Karadjian
La Zelatrice – Rachel Fabry
La Maestra delle novizie – Dina Grossberger
Suor Genovieffa – Bernadette Degelin
Suor Osmina – Diane Verdoodt
Suor Dolcina – Marianne Vliegen
La Sorella Infermiera – Michaela Karadjian
1995 - Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie
Conductor – Antonio Pappano
Orchestra – Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie
Suor Angelica – Sonia Theodoridou
La Zia Principessa – Anne Gjevang
La Badessa – Johanna Dur
La Zelatrice – Gabriela Popescu
La Maestra delle novizie – Renate Kruit
Suor Genovieffa – Michele Patzakis
Suor Osmina – Marielle Moeskops
Suor Dolcina – Ghila Kovacs
La Sorella Infermiera – Jeannette Bakker
La Cercatrice 1 – Aurore Vila Rodríguez
La Cercatrice 2 – Gillian Covel
Una novizia – Françoise Renson
La conversa 1 – Rosa Brandaó
La conversa 2 – Mimi Nicolescu
1997 - Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires
Conductor – Mario Perusso
Orchestra – Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires
Chorus – Teatro Colón of Buenos Aires
Suor Angelica – Cristina Gallardo-Domás
La Zia Principessa – Alexandrina Milcheva(-Nonova)
La Badessa – Marcela Pichot
La Zelatrice – Alejandra Malvino
La Maestra delle novizie – Alicia Cecotti
Suor Genovieffa – Carina Höxter
Suor Osmina – Marta Serrano
Suor Dolcina – Marina Biassotti
La Sorella Infermiera – Irene Burt
La Cercatrice 1 – Laura Rizzo
La Cercatrice 2 – Eleonora Sancho
Una novizia – Mónica Capra
La conversa 1 – Marisa Albano
La conversa 2 – María Luján Mirabelli
1998 - Philharmonia Orchestra
Conductor – Antonio Pappano
Orchestra – Philharmonia Orchestra
Chorus – London Voices – Tiffin Boys’ School Choir
Suor Angelica – Cristina Gallardo-Domás
La Zia Principessa – Bernadette Manca Di Nissa
La Badessa – Felicity Palmer
La Zelatrice – Elena Zilio
La Maestra delle novizie – Sara Fulgoni
Suor Genovieffa – Dorothea Röschmann
Suor Osmina – Judith Rees
Suor Dolcina – Rachele Stanisci
La Sorella Infermiera – Francesca Pedaci
La Cercatrice 1 – Anne Maria Panzarella
La Cercatrice 2 – Susan Mackenzie-Park
Una novizia – Rosalind Waters
La conversa 1 – Anne Maria Panzarella
La conversa 2 – Deborah Miles-Johnson
1998 - English National Opera
Conductor – Shao-Chia Lu
Orchestra – English National Opera
Chorus – English National Opera
Suor Angelica – Anne Williams-King
La Zia Principessa – Elizabeth Vaughan
La Badessa – Nuala Willis
La Zelatrice – Ethna Robinson
La Maestra delle novizie – Catherine Savons
Suor Osmina – Fiammetta Doria
Suor Dolcina – Zena Bradley
La Sorella Infermiera – Nerys Jones
La Cercatrice 1 – Elizabeth Wollett
La Cercatrice 2 – Rebecca Sharp
Una novizia – Debora Davison
La conversa 1 – Christine Bunning
La conversa 2 – Susanna Tudor-Thomas
2007 - Orchestra Sinfonica della Fondazione «A. Toscanini»
Conductor – Julian Reynolds
Orchestra – Orchestra Sinfonica della Fondazione «A. Toscanini»
Suor Angelica – Amarilli Nizza
La Zia Principessa – Anna Maria Chiuri
La Badessa – Elisa Fortunati
La Zelatrice – Paola Leveroni
La Maestra delle novizie – Katarina Nikolic
Suor Genovieffa – Paola Santucci
Suor Osmina – Alice Molinari
Suor Dolcina – Camilla Laschi
La Sorella Infermiera – Alessandra Caruccio
La Cercatrice 1 – Paola Leggeri
La Cercatrice 2 – Margherita Pistoni
Una novizia – Alessandra Cantin
La conversa 1 – Tiziana Tramonti
La conversa 2 – Beatrice Sarti
Due novizie – Dan-l Kuo, Alice Molinari
2008 - Teatro alla Scala
Conductor – Riccardo Chailly
Orchestra – Teatro alla Scala
Chorus – Teatro alla Scala
Suor Angelica – Barbara Frittoli
La Zia Principessa – Marjana Lipovsek
La Badessa – Cinzia De Mola
La Zelatrice – Anita Raveli
La Maestra delle novizie – Alessandra Palomba
Suor Genovieffa – Francesca Sassu
Suor Osmina – (Maria) Francesca Garbi
Suor Dolcina – Carla Di Censo
La Sorella Infermiera – Dionisia Di Vico
La Cercatrice 1 – Sae Kyung Rim
La Cercatrice 2 – Adelina Scarabelli
Una novizia – Irina Kapanadze
La conversa 1 – Anna Zoroberto
La conversa 2 – Sabina Cacioppo
2008 - Los Angeles Opera
Conductor – James Conlon
Orchestra – Los Angeles Opera
Suor Angelica – Sondra Radvanovsky
La Zia Principessa – Larissa Diadkova
La Badessa – Ronnita Nicole Miller
La Zelatrice – Tichina Vaughn
La Maestra delle novizie – Catherine Keen
Suor Genovieffa – Jennifer Black
Suor Osmina – Angel Blue
Suor Dolcina – Danielle Walker
La Sorella Infermiera – Melissa Citro
La Cercatrice 1 – Karen Vuong
La Cercatrice 2 – Tammy Jenkins
Una novizia – Karin Mushegain
La conversa 1 – Lori Ann Fuller
La conversa 2 – Malesha Jessie
Final thoughts
Suor Angelica was Puccini’s favorite opera from the Trittico; he once said “I would willingly trade all of Gianni Schicchi for a single note of Angelica“. He was greatly upset when the opera was omitted from a Covent Garden performance in 1920 to cut the evening short.
Naturally, a great deal of friends and acquaintances spoke over the years about Puccini, his life and his works: in this video Giovacchino Forzano (1884-1970), Puccini’s friend and librettist, shares some memories of the composer, Puccini’s passion for hunting, his recipes, and, among other things, the genesis of Suor Angelica.
The full libretto in Italian with English translation can be found at this page.
I’ll leave you with the most famous aria from the opera, ‘Senza mamma’, sung by the great Renata Scotto. Enjoy!
Sources:
Julian Budden – Puccini: His Life and Works
Farrar and Perini’s picture by White Photo Studio [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Gilda dalla Rizza picture [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Giacomo Puccini’s picture by photo copyrighted by Frank C. Bangs (fl. 1900–20)[1] [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
About the author
Gianmaria Griglio
Composer and conductor, Gianmaria Griglio is the co-founder and Artistic Director of ARTax Music.
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