Saturday at 1 pm, listen to the 2015–16 season opening production from the LA Opera, featuring Gianni Schicchi and Pagliacci. In the first, Plácido Domingo stars in the title role of Woody Allen’s staging of Puccini’s comic one-act opera, conducted by Grant Gershon. When a wealthy Italian landowner dies, his greedy relatives hire Gianni Schicchi to rewrite the will to their advantages. It's an opportunity too good to refuse for the crafty Schicchi, who ensures his own benefit and also secures the future happiness of two young lovers along the way.
For the second half, Domingo descends into the orchestra pit to conduct Franco Zeffirelli’s production of Pagliacci, starring Marco Berti, Ana María Martínez and George Gagnidze. Set in a contemporary urban landscape, this classic tragedy unfolds when a jealous husband takes revenge on his unfaithful wife in front of an unsuspecting and naive audience.
Gianni Schicchi Cast:
Gianni Schicchi: Plácido Domingo
Rinuccio: Arturo Chacon-Cruz
Lauretta: Andriana Chuchman
Zita: Meredith Arwady
Gherardo: Greg Fedderly
Nella: Stacey Tappan
Conductor: Grant Gershon
Pagliacci Cast:
Canio: Marco Berti
Nedda: Ana María Martínez
Tonio: George Gagnidze
Silvio: Liam Bonner
Beppe: Brenton Ryan
Conductor: Plácido Domingo (Pagliacci)