Overview
Synopsis
In this hysterical farce, Gianni Schicchi opens on the Donati family mourning the passing of their patriarch, Buoso. Their tears, however, are not real until they discover that Buoso has left his immense fortune to a monastery. Frantic and greedy, they call upon Gianni Schicchi, a self-made lower class man, to help them re-write the will. In a series of hilarious hijinks, secret deals, and one ridiculous plan, the family succeeds in tricking the doctor and the notary into thinking that Schicchi is Buoso. However, when the time comes, Schicchi leaves every great part of the fortune to himself! Schicchi reminds the audience that his fraud has not only made him rich and humbled the family, but brought together two young lovers; his daughter, Lauretta, and Rinuccio.
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Context
Based on a moment described in Dante’s Divine Comedy, Puccini collaborated with Giovacchino Forzano to put together Gianni Schicchi as the third installment in Il Trittico. Il Trittico is a combination of three one-act operas, all with contrasting themes and moods, to be performed together. Gianni Schicchi is the only comedy, and is the most performed of the three parts after its immediate success at its Metropolitan Opera premiere. Puccini had been brewing the idea of a set of
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Buoso Donati, a rich elderly man, lies near death in his covered bed, while his relatives gather around to mourn his passing. Even though they feign mourning, they are much more interested in the contents of his will. Betto, Buoso’s cousin, reveals that he heard that Buoso may have given his entire fortune to a monastery. The family members are perturbed so they frantically search the house to find the will. Rinuccio finds it, but is not concerned, confident that Buoso has left them all a great
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Character Portrayals
See StageAgent members who have performed roles in Gianni Schicchi.
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Songs
Una Scena:
- Povero Buoso (Zita, Ciesca, Nella, Gherardo, Marco, Simone, Betto, Rinuccio)
- Avete Torto… Firenze é come un albero fiorito (Rinuccio)
- É lui (Rinuccio, Gianni Schicchi, Lauretta, Zita, Ciesca, Nella, Gherardo, Marco, Simone, Betto)
- O Mio Babbino Caro (Lauretta)
- Buon giorno, Maestro Spinelloccio! (Zita, Ciesca, Nella, Rinuccio, Gherardo, Marco, Simone, Betto, Spinelloccio, Gianni Schicchi)
- Era eguale la voce? Ah, vittoria, vittoria! (Zita, Ciesca, Nella, Rinuccio, Gherardo, Marco, Simone, Betto, Spinelloccio, Gianni Schicchi)
- Ecco il notaro! (Gianni Schicchi, Rinuccio, Il Notaro, Pinellino, Guccio, Zita, Ciesca, Nella, Simone, Marco, Betto, Gherardo)
- Ladro! (Zita, Ciesca, Nella, Gherardo, Marco, Simone, Betto, Gianni Schicchi)
- Lauretta mia (Rinuccio, Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi)
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
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