Gianni Schicchi & Trouble in Tahiti at Egyptian Theatre
Dates: (4/11/2014 - 4/14/2014 )
Egyptian Theatre |
700 West Main Road
Boise,ID ID 83702
Phone: 208.345.3531
SUBMIT UPDATES
Gianni Schicchi
As Buoso Donati lies dead in his curtained four-poster bed, his relatives gather round to mourn his passing but more particularly to learn the contents of his will. Among those present are his cousins Zita and Simone, his poor-relation brother-in-law Betto, and Zita’s nephew Rinuccio. Betto mentions a rumour he has heard that Buoso has left everything to a monastery; this disturbs the others and precipitates a frantic search for the will. The document is found by Rinuccio, who is confident that his uncle has left him plenty of money. He withholds the will momentarily and asks Zita to allow him to marry Lauretta, daughter of Gianni Schicchi, a newcomer to Florence. Zita replies that if Buoso has left them rich, he can marry whom he pleases; she and the other relatives are anxious to begin reading the will. A happy Rinuccio sends little Gherardino to fetch Schicchi and Lauretta.
As they read, the relatives’ worst fears are soon realised; Buoso has indeed bequeathed his fortune to the monastery. They break out in woe and indignation, and turn to Simone, the oldest present and a former mayor of Fucecchio, but he can offer no help. Rinuccio suggests that only Gianni Schicchi can advise them what to do, but this is scorned by Zita and the rest, who sneer at Schicchi’s humble origins and now say that marriage to the daughter of such a peasant is out of the question. Rinuccio defends Schicchi in an aria “Avete torto” (You’re mistaken), after which Schicchi and Lauretta arrive. Schicchi quickly grasps the situation, and Rinuccio begs him for help, but Schicchi is rudely told by Zita to “be off” and take his daughter with him. Rinuccio and Lauretta listen in despair as Schicchi announces that he will have nothing to do with such people. Lauretta makes a final plea to him with “O mio babbino caro” (Oh, my dear papa), and he agrees to look at the will. After twice scrutinizing it and concluding that nothing can be done, an idea occurs to him. He sends his daughter outside so that she will be innocent of what is to follow.
First, Schicchi establishes that no one other than those present knows that Buoso is dead. He then orders the body removed to another room. A knock announces the arrival of the doctor, Spinelloccio. Schicchi conceals himself behind the bed curtains, mimics Buoso’s voice and declares that he’s feeling better; he asks the doctor to return that evening. Boasting that he has never lost a patient, Spinelloccio departs. Schicchi then unveils his plan in the aria “Si corre dal notaio” (Run to the notary); having established in the doctor’s mind that Buoso is still alive, Schicchi will disguise himself as Buoso and dictate a new will. All are delighted with the scheme, and importune Schicchi with personal requests for Buoso’s various possessions, the most treasured of which are “the mule, the house and the mills at Signa”. A funeral bell rings, and everyone fears that the news of Buoso’s death has emerged, but it turns out that the bell is tolling for the death of a neighbour’s Moorish servant. The relatives agree to leave the disposition of the mule, the house and the mills to Schicchi, though each in turn offers him a bribe. The women help him to change into Buoso’s clothes, as they sing the lyrical trio “Spogliati, bambolino” (Undress, little boy). Before taking his place in the bed, Schicchi warns the company of the grave punishment for those found to have falsified a will: exile from Florence together with the loss of a hand.
The notary arrives, and Schicchi starts to dictate the new will, declaring any prior will null and void. To general satisfaction he allocates the minor bequests, but when it comes to the mule, the house and the mills, he orders that these be left to “my devoted friend Gianni Schicchi”. Incredulous, the family can do nothing while the lawyer is present, especially when Schicchi slyly reminds them of the penalties that discovery of the ruse will bring. Their outburst of rage when the notary leaves is countered by a love duet from Lauretta and Rinuccio, “Lauretta mia”; there is now no bar to their marriage, since Schicchi can provide a full dowry. Schicchi chases the relatives out of what is now his house, and when he returns stands moved at the sight of the two lovers. He turns to the audience and asks them to agree that no better use could be found for Buoso’s wealth. Although the poet Dante has condemned him to hell for this trick, Schicchi asks the audience to forgive him in light of “extenuating circumstances.”
Trouble in Tahiti
Set in an affluent, unnamed American suburb, the story depicts the disenchantment of Dinah with her husband Sam, who is more interested in his career and hobbies than in his family.
The opera opens with a cheery tune (“Mornin’ Sun”), as the chorus sings of 1950s suburban life and names several suburban communities where this story might be taking place. The action begins in the middle of the couple’s breakfast, with a quarrel in progress. Dinah accuses Sam of indiscretions with his secretary: Sam angrily dismisses this as Dinah’s jealous imagination. Dinah reminds Sam that their son Junior has a school play that day, but Sam says he can’t go because of his handball tournament. Dinah pleads that “a woman needs so little — a little feeling of hope.” Sam inwardly begs Dinah for some kindness. The scene ends with Sam storming out of the house and off to work.
In the next scene, a charming Sam is shown in his office dealing with clients on the telephone. After each client Sam speaks to, the chorus sings to him of his genius and business skills.
The action moves to a psychiatrist’s office. Distraught, Dinah tells her (unseen) doctor of the dream she had the previous night (“There Is a Garden”), in which she is standing in a garden where all the plants have “gone to seed”. She then hears her father’s voice calling to her to leave the garden immediately. She wants to leave but seems to be lost. There is no sign or any path to tell her how to get away. Then she hears a second voice. It is very hard to hear but the words are now burned into her memory. The lovely sound of this voice intrigues her and she runs towards it. Everything around her becomes more frightening with every step. The ground starts to give way but she continues on.
The action moves back to Sam in his office, who first asks his (unseen) secretary if he has ever made a pass at her, and, surprised to be answered in the affirmative, then tells her that it was “an accident,” and suggests she should forget that it ever happened.
Dinah continues the story of her dream. Desire has now taken over her. All she wants is to touch the face and hand of this mysterious voice. She finally sees his face and once again goes running to him. When she finally approaches him he vanishes leaving her in the garden and she awakes.
Dinah leaves her doctor’s office and bumps into Sam on the street. Each lies to the other about a lunch date with someone else as an excuse to not eat together. They part, but are stopped abruptly by the realization of what just took place. Each alone, they reminisce about the days when they were happy and ask, “Why did I have to lie?”. Both then leave the stage with regret to go have lunch in solitude.
The chorus sings of the joys of married life. We see Sam in the shower at his gym, where he sings an aria (“There’s a Law”), bragging about his winning in the handball tournament and in the competitions of life.
Dinah is next seen in a hat shop. She come in and sings (“What a Movie”) of a “terrible” movie she just saw entitled Trouble in Tahiti. She goes into great detail, mocking the ridiculous plot of the movie, but as she does, she is caught up in the romantic storyline. At the climax of the aria, she remembers that Sam’s dinner needs to be on the table and rushes off.
The final scene of the opera is back at the couple’s home. Dinah has just put dinner on the table and Sam is standing outside the front door with his sports trophy, dreading the evening ahead. He has won his handball tournament, but realizes that every victory comes with a price. He finally enters as the chorus sings of bringing the “loved ones” together with “evening pleasures”. Dinah is knitting and Sam is reading the paper. It is a perfect picture of what a happy suburban couple’s life should be, but there is no happiness in the room, only tension.
Sam asks Dinah to talk. Pretending to be unaware of any problems she replies, “About what dear?” They continue on carefully and it seems like slight progress is being made. Unfortunately they begin bickering again. Sam asks about Junior’s school play; Dinah replies that she didn’t go. Sam now gives it one last chance and asks her to go with him to see the new movie that opened today: “Something about… Tahiti?” Dinah agrees (not mentioning that she saw the movie at the matinee that afternoon), and both inwardly express a wish that they might reconcile. In the interim, they will settle for the images of happiness — the “bought-and-paid-for happiness” — displayed on “a super silver screen.” They depart as the chorus ironically echoes a phrase from the film’s love song: “Island Magic.”
Cast and Creative team for Gianni Schicchi & Trouble in Tahiti at Egyptian Theatre
Jason Detwiler
as Gianni Schicchi
as Gianni Schicchi
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