What an inspired choice: pairing Puccini's little-known and seldom performed one-act opera Gianni Schicchi with Michael Ching's modern one-acter (which premiered in 2000) Buoso's Ghost. Although written many decades apart, they involve the same character, and in fact, Mr. Ching's piece picks up only a second after the first one finishes.
The double bill is a delicious completion to a season of four comedies by New Jersey Opera Theater, in its summer venue at McCarter's Berlind Theatre in Princeton. Puccini's opera is sung in Italian; Mr. Ching's is in English.
Buoso Donati, a wealthy and noble Florentine, dies as the Puccini opera begins. He is surrounded in his bedchamber by a number of his relatives, who apparently are more interested in the contents of his will than whether or not he may still be breathing. There is, you see, a fear that Buoso may have left his considerable fortune to the monastery. So a frantic search for the actual will ensues, and when it is located, it confirms the relatives' worst fears. What to do?
They send for Schicchi, in spite of the general feeling that he is most certainly well beneath them socially. And once he arrives, he does indeed come up with a solution: the Donati family must tell no one that the old man has died. That will give Schicchi time to don the bed clothes, and, disguised as the dying man, dictate a new will.
Ingenious to be sure. So they call in a notary, luckily one from out-of-town. A new will is drawn up and the relatives each get fine treatment. But the house, the contents and the local business are left to Buoso's "great friend Gianni Schicchi." The relatives are distressed, but Schicchi's beloved daughter and her suitor Rinuccio are delighted — now they can marry.
And, at the finale, Schicchi turns to the audience, spreads his arms wide and in English begs for forgiveness for his deceit, claiming "extenuating circumstances." After the interval, we begin at exactly the same spot. Schicchi sends the loving pair off to buy their rings. He then begins to tidy up his new house and discovers that the relatives have poisoned the wine, cheese and bread that they brought to Buoso's bedside. This fact enables him to outwit them when they attack him as a "murderer." It all ends happily, of course (it is a comedy, after all) and again, at the finale, Schicchi addresses the audience, this time begging their indulgence that a modern, young upstart should dare to follow a master such as Puccini. His grounds? Why, "extenuating circumstances," naturally.
Director Michael Scarola, who apparently is a big fan of silent movies, does wonders with the scenes of ensemble action, especially the opening of the evening and the moments when the search for the will is on. He manages to establish individual characters without the need for a line of the libretto. He recognizes, of course, that believability is the key to farce and particularly with Theodore Chletsos, who sings Rinuccio, and Margaret Jensen, who sings the daughter, Lauretta, he allows them to drift gently in a sea of confusion. Ms. Jensen, by the way, gets to sing one of Puccini's best-loved and known arias, "O Mia Babino Cara." Most in the audience will recognize it immediately and be stunned that it comes from this opera.
The relatives are all impressive, in particular, Olga Perez as Zita. And there is fine work done by the minor roles as well — Stephen Lavonier as the magistrate and Ricardo Sepúlveda as the notary. But it is Steven Condy as Schicchi who commands every moment of the evening. Those who saw Falstaff know of his stage presence, his appeal, his voice. Others have that excitement ahead. James Caraher conducts with great regard for the lyricism of both pieces.
What a magnificent triumph for New Jersey Opera Theater. Three evenings of great opera, plus a concert in Pettoranello Gardens and a pair of vocal concerts — one covering Mozart and friends; the other Verdi, Puccini and friends, performed at the Berlind on July 15 and 22. Exhausting to be sure, but great fun and exciting for the area.
