Gianni Schicchi

Giacomo Puccini

Operas Le Villi (1884) Edgar (1889) Manon Lescaut (1893) La bohème (1896) Tosca (1900) Madama Butterfly (1904) La fanciulla del West (1910) La rondine (1917) Il trittico (1918) Il tabarro Suor Angelica Gianni Schicchi Turandot (completed 1926 by Alfano)

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Gianni Schicchi is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, based on a story that is referred to in Dante's The Divine Comedy. Although the story by Dante is dramatic, Puccini's opera is actually a comedy. It is the third of the trio of operas known as Il trittico. Its first performance was at the Metropolitan Opera in 1918. The opera is best known for the soprano aria, "O mio babbino caro" (Oh, my dear papa), which has featured in a number of movies and other works.

Performance history

Gianni Schicchi was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera on December 14, 1918 with the other two operas of Il trittico.^[1] It premiered in Rome on January 11, 1919 and eventually became the most frequently performed of the three one-act operas that make up Il trittico.^[2]

In September 2008, film director Woody Allen made his operatic debut with Gianni Schicchi at Los Angeles Opera. The production starred baritone Sir Thomas Allen, soprano Laura Tatulescu and tenor Saimir Pirgu. The role of the deceased Buoso Donati was played by comic actor Brently Heilbron.^[3]

Literary sources

A man named Gianni Schicchi is only briefly referred to in Dante's Inferno Canto XXX:

E l'Aretin che rimase, tremando,

mi disse: 'Quel folletto è Gianni Schicchi,

e va rabbioso altrui così conciando.'

(And he of Arezzo, pausing, trembling,

told me, "That madman is Gianni Schicchi,

who gnaws the other in his raving.")

The text states that Schicchi

per guadagnar la donna de la torma,

falsificare in sè Buoso Donati,

testando e dando al testamento norma

(to gain for himself the fairest of the stud,

impersonated Buoso Donati,

making a will in proper form.)

That grim vignette is not the real source of the opera's action. A work entitled, "Commentary on the Divine Comedy by an Anonymous Florentine of the 14th Century", first published in 1866, elucidating Dante's terse references, is the actual source to the familiar plot set-up.^[4] In this, Buoso has wished to make a will, but was put off with words by his son, Simone. Once it is too late, Simone fears that Buoso may have made a will before his illness, unfavorable to Simone. Simone calls on Schicchi for counsel, and Schicchi coins the idea of the impersonation. Simone promises Schicchi he will be well rewarded, but Schicchi takes no chances, "leaving" a hefty sum to himself (though most goes to Simone), including the mule, and makes the bequests conditional on Simone's distributing the estate within fifteen days, otherwise everything shall go to charity.

Dante was no doubt somewhat biased in his description, having married into the Donati family himself, marrying Gemma Donati in 1295, five years after the death of his adored Beatrice.^[5]

Roles

Florence Easton as Lauretta at the world premiere of Gianni Schicchi, 14 December 1918.

Synopsis

The original 1918 costume sketch design for Gianni Schicchi.

Place: Florence.

Time: 1299.

Buoso Donati has died in bed. His relatives mourn melodramatically, until they hear the rumor that he has left all his money to the local monastery. They frantically search for the will. Rinuccio finds it, but refuses to release it to his aunt Zita until she agrees to his terms. If the will is favorable to them, she must allow him to marry Schicchi's daughter, Lauretta. Schicchi is looked down on by the Donati family since he is a relatively new arrival in Florence. Zita consents (she does not care whom Rinuccio marries so long as the will leaves them rich), and reads the will, as Rinuccio quietly sends for Schicchi. When the will confirms the rumor, everyone is furious. They refuse to allow Rinuccio to marry, and angrily turn down his suggestion that Schicchi, who is known for his clever schemes, can aid them.

"O mio babbino caro" "O mio babbino caro" sung by Frances Alda in 1919 Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Schicchi and Lauretta arrive to a cold reception. Schicchi, seeing how downcast the relatives are, uncharitably assumes that Donati must be better. He is informed otherwise, and attempts to console the relatives by mentioning their inheritances. Zita, touched to the quick by Schicchi's condolences, angrily explains the situation, and refuses to hear of a marriage. Rinuccio begs Schicchi to help. However, Schicchi, angered by his reception, refuses to help such people. He is persuaded to try by his daughter (O mio babbino caro), who is madly in love with the handsome Rinuccio. Schicchi reads the will, and proclaims that nothing can be done. But then, he has a thought, and Schicchi sends his daughter away so that she may be innocent of the knowledge of what he will suggest. Schicchi first orders the body to be moved to another room, and tells the women to make up the bed. He ensures that no one else knows of the death--but before he can explain, Donati's doctor arrives. The doctor is prevented from entering by the relatives, while Schicchi imitates Donati's voice, telling the doctor that Donati is feeling better. The doctor departs, praising his own skill. Schicchi explains, taking advantage of the darkened room and disguised as Buoso, he will impersonate Donati and dictate a new will.

Rinuccio goes to get the notary. The relatives mostly agree on the division of the property, except for Donati's mule (the best in Tuscany), some mills in Signa and the house they are in, the best assets. After a big fight they agree to let Schicchi decide who will inherit those items, but, one by one, they return to promise him a reward if he selects that person. Schicchi agrees to each bribe. Before the notary arrives Schicchi reminds all of the penalty for impersonation and forgery of a will: loss of a hand and permanent exile from Florence.

The notary arrives with the witnesses. Schicchi dictates a will that provides for a very modest funeral, a minuscule sum to the monastery and the agreed-upon division, as the relatives speak approvingly. But one by one, Schicchi grants the mule, mills, and house to himself, to the relatives' outrage. After the notary leaves, he throws everyone out and they are helpless to do anything except grab what they can on the way out the door. Now that Schicchi can give Lauretta a dowry, there is no obstacle to her marriage to Rinuccio. The lovers embrace, as Schicchi watches, moved. Schicchi turns to the audience and asks if this was not a fine use of Donati's money. He then requests the audience's indulgence, even if he did not receive Dante's, pleading extenuating circumstances.

Noted arias

• "Firenze è come un albero fiorito" (Florence is like a tree in bloom) - Rinuccio.
• "O mio babbino caro" (Oh, my dear papa) - Lauretta. This aria has appeared in a variety of works including the 1986 film A Room with a View where it was performed by Kiri Te Kanawa.^[6]
• "Si corre dal notaio" (Run to the notary!) - Gianni Schicchi.

Recordings

This is a list of commercial studio audio recordings of Gianni Schicchi, sung in Italian.

Note: "Cat:" is short for catalogue number by the label company

Sources:

• Blyth, Alan, ed. Opera on Record 2. Hutchinson & Co., London. 1983.
• Gruber, Paul, ed. The Metropolitan Opera Guide to Recorded Opera. W.W. Norton & Co., New York. 1993.
• Operadis Opera Discography

References

External links

• Libretto
• Woody Allen Production of Gianni Schicchi