Suor Angelica is the middle part of Puccini’s Il trittico, three short operas. Rarely performed together in one evening, it also includes the melodrama Il tabarro (The Cloak) and the comedy Gianni Schicchi. It had its world premiere at the New York Metropolitan Opera in December 1914. The same soprano sings the lead in all three.
The opera is set in a convent near Siena in the latter part of the 17th century and is set for an all-female cast. This clip features the remarkable performance of Renata Scotto from the 1981 “Live at the Met” series that aired on PBS. An actress of intense insight into character motivation, Scotto is here in her prime, and simply heartbreaking.
UPDATE: This video is now available as part of the James Levine: Celebrating 40 Years at the Met - DVD Box Set (2010) that also includes 12 Titles on 21 DVDs.
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