The Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America was thrilled to continue our partnership with the John J. Cali School of Music with support from the Coccia Foundation and the Inserra Family in sponsoring the Opera Program’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost.
Set in medieval Florence, the established Donati family are grieving around the deathbed of their patriarch, Buoso Donati. But when they find out he’s left their inheritance to the church – mourning turns to rage. They rope in a lower class fix-it guy, Gianni Schicchi, to change the will, in exchange for his daughter Lauretta marrying their young Rinuccio. Schicchi finds the perfect solution, executes the plan, and gets the Donati exactly what they deserve.
In the sequel to Puccini’s masterpiece, Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost, Schicchi discovers a dark Donati secret. When they come back to haunt him, Schicchi screams for mercy, until he conjures up a new plan, and summons the ghost of Buoso for a little help.
Performances took place Saturday, January 28th at 8pm and Sunday, January 29th at 3pm in the Alexander Kasser Theater on campus. The Coccia Institute sponsored the pre-show talk given by Prof. Tony Mazzocchi and Prof. Karen Driscoll of the Cali School of Music.
The Opera Program gave two ravishing performances — truly identical to the quality at the Metropolitan Opera. Bravi tutti and we cannot wait to continue our support of this important initiative!
To view photos from the pre-show talk, please click here.