“Puccini is Coming To Knoxville” — well, obviously, that’s not completely accurate. Although Knoxville Opera’s Rossini Festival takes to downtown streets on Saturday, April 30, another Italian opera composer is getting a lot of attention this month. Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), a composer that for many is practically synonymous with turn-of-the-century Italian opera, is the subject of two major concerts under the auspices of Knoxville Opera and directed by outgoing KO artistic director Brian Salesky. Also, an exhibition of Puccini memorabilia can be viewed at the Emporium Center, 100 S. Gay Street, through April 30 and includes Puccini scores, photos, and other materials from the collection of Maestro Salesky.
Puccini only made it twice to the United States during his lifetime, the first in 1907 to ostensibly oversee the Metropolitan Opera productions of Manon Lescaut and Madama Butterfly. Due to a rough winter crossing of the Atlantic, however, Puccini’s ship was delayed and he barely made it to the opening night of Manon Lescaut. Enrico Caruso was his frequent companion during his stay in which he expressed a love of skyscrapers, city lights, and … American women.
The Met brought him over again three years later in 1910 for the world premiere (the Met’s first world premiere) of the western-themed La Fanciulla del West (Girl of the Golden West) based on a 1905 play by American playwright David Belasco. (Belasco also penned the play Madame Butterfly upon which the Puccini opera was based.) The premiere starred Caruso as Dick Johnson and Emmy Destinn as Minnie; the Met’s music director Arturo Toscanini conducted with Belasco himself acting as stage director.
The first of the two Knoxville Opera concerts is “Puccini in the Cathedral,” a part of the Cathedral Concert Series at Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Northshore Drive. The Sunday, April 24, 5:00 PM concert will feature the Knoxville Opera Chorus in Puccini works that originally had a religious context. The concert is free, but reservations are helpful. The expected program is:
• “Ave Maria” from Suor Angelica
• “Salve Regina”
• Vexilla Regis Prodeunt
• Requiem in memory of Giuseppe Verdi
• Requiem from Edgar
• “Plaudite popoli” from Mottetto per San Paolino
• Kyrie and Gloria from Messa di Gloria
The second of the Puccini concerts is the “Puccini Gala Concert” on April 29, 7:30 PM, at the Bijou Theatre in downtown Knoxville. This ticketed concert will offer scenes from all 12 of the Puccini operas. Performing in this concert will be soprano Rochelle Bard and baritone Scott Bearden, both familiar voices to Knoxville Opera audiences. Making KO debuts will be soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra and tenor Adam Diegel. Brian Salesky will be conducting the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. That program will be:
• “Ah! Vittoria!” from Gianni Schicchi
• “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta” from La Rondine
• Poker Scene from La Fanciulla del West
• “Dimmi, perché” from Il Tabarro
• La Tregenda from Le Villi
• “Donde lieta” from La Bohème
• Act III Duet and Finale from Tosca
• “Questo amor, vergogna mia” from Edgar
• “Senza mamma” from Suor Angelica
• Act IV from Manon Lescaut
• “Un bel dì vedremo” from Madama Butterfly
• “Nessun dorma” and Finale from Turandot
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