Il Trittico

This 2011 Royal Opera production of Giacomo Puccini's 1918 triptych of one-act operas is—in a word—masterful. The opening work, Il Tabarro, is a grim verismo tragedy of the vengeance a barge master takes on his unfaithful wife and her lover. The second, Suor Angelica, is a tender tale of a nun who commits suicide after she learns of the death of the illegitimate child she abandoned when her family forced her to enter the convent. And the third, Gianni Schicchi, is a rambunctious ensemble farce about a rogue who bamboozles a bunch of greedy relatives out of their expected inheritances. Each is conducted unerringly by company musical director Antonio Pappano, who displays remarkable sensitivity to the very different moods, while the orchestra responds richly. The vocalism is also exceptional, with Lucio Gallo exhibiting his versatility as both Michele, the vengeful husband in Tabarro, and the scheming Schicchi; Eva-Maria Westbroek outstanding as Michele's wife, Giorgetta; and Ermonela Jaho a resplendent and touching Angelica. Lesser roles and choral contributions are also handled well, and the production benefits from the elegant sets and costumes. Richard Jones' staging downplays the heavenly forgiveness at the end of Suor Angelica but is otherwise quite faithful to Puccini's intent. Presented in DTS 5.1 (DTS-HD 5.1 on the Blu-ray edition) and LPCM stereo, extras include a behind-the-scenes featurette and brief intros by Pappano. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)