News Release
February 1999
The Moravian College Music Department has joined with
the college’s theatre company to present Puccini’s Gianni
Schicchi on Saturday, February 13, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, February 14,
at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. The opera performance will be held in the Arena
Theatre in the Haupert Union Building on Moravian College’s Main
Street Campus.
This wonderful comedy was one of the three one-act operas
known collectively as II Trittico or the "Triptych." The opera
was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City in 1918.
Gianni Schicchi has become immortalized as rouge. The will of the deceased
Buoso Donati has caused disappointment to his relatives, and they agree
to allow Schicchi, who is an accomplished mimic, to dictate a bogus
will more to their liking. The only relative of Donati who benefits
is young Rinuuccio who is in love with Schicchi’s daughter Lauretta.
The Opera Ensemble of Moravian College became part of
the curriculum in the fall of 1996. Prior to that opera at Moravian
was a project of Browyn Fix-Keller, the current director, and students
would participate without credit. Productions for 1997-98 included Purcell’s
Dido and Aeneas and an abridged version of Bizet’s Carmen, which
featured a special performance for area school children.
The opera is free and open to the public: however, reservations
are required. Seating must be reserved in advance by calling (610) 861-1650.
