Triumphant Night at Opera Bastille: Asmik Grigorian Shines in "Il Trittico" Performance
On that fateful day, the 29th of April, Paris witnessed the closing performance of Giacomo Puccini's Il Trittico at the Opéra Bastille, leaving the audience in a melody-infused, emotional whirlwind. This stellar production, running until the 28th of May, was a testament to the power of opera, driven by renowned soprano Asmik Grigorian, a crack orchestra pit under theguidance of Carlo Rizzi, and the painstaking attention to detail in Christof Loy's staging. This tragic trilogy, composed between 1913 and 1918, is a marvel that will undoubtedly stick in the minds of its viewers.
The productions shocking diversity brings to mind Dante's Divine Comedy with a macabre comedy nestled in the heart of Florence, a noblewoman in a convent torn apart by misery, and a cunning lawyer in Paris, each representing a unique entity. While Puccini initially created Il Trittico as a trilogy, they can be just as effectively enjoyed independently. In fact, they've been paired with other works in the past, such as Gianni Schicchi with Ravel's L'Heure espagnole in 2004 at the Palais Garnier, Paris.
The Plots of Il Trittico
1. Il Tabarro
This opera unfolds on the banks of the Seine River in Paris, spinning the tale of Michele, a barge owner. He discovers that his wife, Giorgetta, is having an affair with one of the workers, Luigi. In a moment of vengeance, Michele ends Luigi's life and conceals his corpse in his cloak (tabarro), revealing his deed to Giorgetta as the opera reaches its desolate climax.
2. Suor Angelica
This opera centers on Suor Angelica, a woman of noble birth forced into a life of solitude within the convent walls. Her world comes undone when she's confronted with a demand by her aunt, the Principessa. Overwhelmed with grief upon learning of her mother's death, Angelica takes her own life. Faced with her mistake, she prays for forgiveness and is salvaged by the Virgin Mary.
3. Gianni Schicchi
Set in the vibrant city of Florence, this opera is based on a passage from Dante's "The Divine Comedy." Gianni Schicchi, a clever lawyer, is approached by a family desperate for his help after the death of their relative, Buoso Donati. Schicchi orchestrates the forging of a new will to secure their inheritance, proving his intelligence and wit supreme in outsmarting them.
While Il Trittico is often presented as a complete work, its individual operas can also be performed separately, often paired with other notable operas to offer variety in opera company programming. For example, the comedic nature of Gianni Schicchi lends itself well to performances alongside similar comedic works. The themes of love, betrayal, and redemption found in Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica intertwine beautifully, making them fitting companions for select performances.
The shocking diversity of Puccini's Il Trittico in 1913 resembles Dante's Divine Comedy, with a bittersweet opera in Paris, a noblewoman in seclusion, and a cunning lawyer in Florence, each presenting unique entities within the realm of entertainment. On the 29th of April in Paris, the Opéra Bastille hosted the closing performance of Il Trittico, a testament to Puccini's mastery. Afterwards, Gianni Schicchi, one of its operas, was paired with Ravel's L'Heure espagnole in movies-and-tv productions, showcasing the versatility of these operas even beyond the stage.
