Description:
Puccini's trio of one-act operas is carefully balanced to contrast three moods: dark, violent jealousy in Il Tabarro, tearful sentimentality in Suor Angelica, and satirical wit in Gianni Schicchi. All three flavors are precisely conveyed by La Scala's carefully chosen cast, with finely nuanced conducting by Gianandrea Gavazzeni. This production is particularly treasurable because most companies today avoid presenting all three pieces together, and the interaction of contrasting motifs is part of what Puccini had in mind. Gianni Schicchi is deservedly the most popular, and La Scala fills the stage with vivid character performers to convey its full flavor. Juan Pons sings the title role with fine comic flair and rich, flexibly used tone. Sylvia Sass heads a small, expert cast in Il Tabarro, which could, however, have been more convincing in the murder scene. Suor Angelica is sweetly distraught, as it should be. --Joe McLellan
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