SYNOPSIS

IL TABARRO

The scene is a barge moored on the banks of the Seine. [1] Michele, watching the sunset while his young wife Giorgetta gets on with her chores, wonders whether the stevedores unloading his barges have finished their work. Giorgetta suggests rewarding them with a drink. Michele agrees, but instead of wine he would like some affection. Giorgetta lets him kiss her — but only on the cheek. Disappointed, Michele goes down to the hold.
Luigi, a young stevedore, then comes on board with his mates Talpa and Tinca. Giorgetta offers them wine which they eagerly drink. Luigi hails a passing organ grinder and sets him playing. Giorgetta dances with Tinca, but when he treads on Giorgetta’s toes Luigi takes over. Michele’s sudden reappearance puts an end to the dancing, and the stevedores go below.

Left alone, Giorgetta and Michele start to bicker. They will be leaving Paris soon, but is Luigi to go with them, or not? They circle around the question, Giorgetta trying to persuade Michele to keep Luigi on while trying to maintain an air of indifference. In the distance a song-pedlar can be heard at his trade. Giorgetta also spots Frugola, Talpa’s jealous wife, a ragpicker, out searching for her husband. Eventually failing to get much response from Michele, Giorgetta admits that she is happier when they are in Paris. “Of course”, observes Michele.

Jumping aboard, Frugola greets Michele and Giorgetta ironically as eternal lovebirds, and he once more disappears below. Frugola, having asked after her errant husband, presents Giorgetta with a comb and shows her the other odds and ends she has collected, going on to sing with affection of her cat, Caporale. Talpa and Luigi join them, then Michele, who asks Luigi to give him a hand on board the next day; Luigi readily agrees. Frugola meanwhile upbraids Tinca for his drinking. “If I drink”, he says, “I don’t think”. At this point Michele leaves. Taking up Tinca’s theme, Luigi complains bitterly of the harshness of their lives. Tinca advises him to drown his sorrows but Giorgetta shuts him up and he ambles off.

Frugola, tired like her husband, describes her dream of a little house in the country to end her days in. Giorgetta’s dream is different. She was born in Belleville and hates the wandering life she leads with Michele. She and Luigi share a longing for Paris, to which they sing a brief but ecstatic paean. Talpa and Frugola then prepare to leave, while Luigi stays behind to talk, he says, to Michele. Frugola wishes them goodnight and she and Talpa leave.
Luigi now approaches Giorgetta, but she pushes him away. Michele might come back any moment, she says. They talk openly of their affair, but Giorgetta is
afraid. Suddenly Michele does reappear, expressing surprise at finding Luigi still on board. When the latter asks him to take him with them as far as Rouen, Michele refuses him and goes off to light the lamps for the night. Luigi tells Giorgetta that he can no longer share her with Michele. The two arrange that he will come back later: Giorgetta will give the signal — a lighted match. Luigi reaffirms his love for Giorgetta before she hurries him off the boat.

“Why don’t you go to bed?” asks Michele on returning. Giorgetta doesn’t seem to want to. Why doesn’t Michele keep Luigi on, she suggests, and get rid of Tinca — who’s always drinking? Suddenly, Michele bursts out that Giorgetta no longer loves him. She denies it, claiming that she cannot sleep in their cabin because of the stifling air. Michele recalls the time when she did love him: when their baby was alive, when he would wrap Giorgetta in his cloak to keep her warm. His wife doesn’t want to know. “I’m tired”, she says: “But you can’t sleep!” he counters. “People get older!”, she says, “I’m not the same any more”. Finally she goes to bed.
“Slut!”, he comments bitterly, before hanging up the lamps. Two lovers pass, a bugle sounds, then silence. Michele broods on Giorgetta’s coldness. She’s waiting for someone, he knows — but whom? He lights his pipe.

Luigi, misinterpreting the flare of Michele’s match as Giorgetta’s signal, jumps onto the boat. Michele grabs him by the throat and confronts him. Luigi denies everything, then produces a knife which Michele makes him drop. Michele, tightening his hold on Luigi’s throat, forces him to confess that he loves Giorgetta, then squeezes the life out of him.
Giorgetta’s voice is heard, calling out in fear, and she appears from below. Michele wraps his cloak around Luigi’s body and waits. Apparently remorseful, Giorgetta asks Michele to forget what she said. He offers to hold her in his cloak, but as she goes to him he opens it and Luigi’s body falls out. Giorgetta screams and draws back, but Michele pushes her violently against her dead lover’s face.

© 1994 George Hall

SUOR ANGELICA

A spring evening in the courtyard of a convent. [1] The Ave Maria can be heard from the church. The Sister Monitor admonishes two lay-sisters who were late for the service; after completing her rebukes she announces a period of free time. Sister Angelica (who was also late, but who herself made full penance) sets to tending the flowers.
Sister Genovieffa points out the sunlight gilding the water of the fountain, a phenomenon, the Mistress of the Novices explains, that they witness on only three evenings each May. Genovieffa suggests that they take some of the “golden” water to the grave of the recently deceased Sister Bianca Rosa: that would surely be her desire. Angelica, inspired by her words, tells the others that desires are the flowers of the living.
The Monitor boasts that she has no desires, and others hurry to agree. But Genovieffa, a former shepherdess, confesses that she has: she longs to see a lamb. Another nun, Sister Dolcina, admits that she too is desirous of something: something nice to eat, comment the others quietly. And Angelica? What does she wish for? Nothing, she says. (She lies, whisper the nuns: her seven years in the convent have been spent in waiting for news of her family. She was once rich, a princess, punished — for what? — by being sent here.)
The Infirmary Sister rushes in to say that Sister Chiara has been stung by wasps, and Angelica hurriedly begins to gather herbs which she presents to the sister with instructions for their use. Two alms-collecting nuns then enter leading a well-laden donkey. As they unload it, one asks who the visitor is whose carriage she has seen outside the gate. Angelica, gripped by anxiety, asks for further details of the carriage, then prays that the visit may be for her. The Abbess enters and calls Angelica, dismissing the other sisters. Angelica asks anxiously who it is that has come to see her. The Abbess informs her that it is her aunt, and reminds her that every word spoken in the visiting room is heard by the Virgin. They pass in.
Her aunt, the Princess — an elderly woman, dignified and aristocratic — enters, and she and Angelica are left alone. The Princess does not look at her. She recounts how when Angelica’s parents died they left their estate for her to apportion. She has now done so, and hands Angelica a document to sign. Angelica, unacknowledged by her family for seven years, begs for some sign of feeling from her aunt, who remains unmoved. Your sister, she tells Angelica, is to be married — to one who has overlooked the disgrace you brought on your family. When Angelica responds that she, her mother’s sister, is without pity for her, the Princess describes how when praying she imagines the spirit of Angelica’s mother weeping, and commands her niece to atone.
Angelica pleads that she cannot forget her baby son and begs for news of him. The princess is silent for a long time. Two years ago, she at last begins, he became ill. “He’s dead?” asks Angelica. Her aunt nods. Angelica faints. The Princess successfully represses a momentary desire to assist her niece, and bows her head in prayer. At her request pen and ink are brought, and the dazed Angelica signs the document. The Princess takes it and Angelica is left alone. [2] Kneeling, she prays to her child, who died without knowing a mother’s love. She longs now to die, to join him.
The nuns return, finding Angelica in a trance. She can see her goal, she says, and is happy. The nuns leave for their cells. Night falls. Angelica opens her cell and emerges carrying a bowl. She builds a small fire and fills the bowl with water, then lights the fire beneath it and begins to gather herbs. Turning finally towards the cells, she bids her sisters farewell, then, having kissed the cross, she drinks the infusion she has prepared. Suddenly she realises with horror that her act of suicide is a mortal sin that will separate her from her child for eternity. In despair she begs the Virgin to give her a sign of grace.
A miracle occurs. The church fills with light, its doors opening to reveal an angelic host. On the threshold stands the Virgin, and before her a small child, whom the Virgin pushes towards Angelica. At his third step the nun falls back and dies. The vision blazes with light.

© George Hall

GIANNI SCHICCHI

Florence, 1299. Buoso Donati’s bedchamber. Buoso Donati is dead. [1] His relatives, kneeling round his bed in prayer, whisper one to another the disturbing rumour that he has left everything to a monastery. Simone, as the eldest, is asked for his opinion. If the will is in the hands of a notary, he says, then there is no hope. If, however, it is still in the room…
A frantic search begins. At last young Rinuccio finds it and hands it to his Aunt Zita, asking as reward that she consent to his marriage to Lauretta. If things turn out as we hope, she says, you may marry whom you please. Rinuccio discreetly sends little Gherardino to fetch Lauretta and her father.
All now gather round to scrutinise the document. As they read their faces fall; the rumours were all too accurate. The relations baulk at the prospect of the monks enjoying the Donati wealth. But if they could change the will …? Only one man can help us now, insists Rinuccio: Gianni Schicchi, who is even now on his way. The relatives are unimpressed — Schicci is a mere peasant. Zita puts her foot down firmly. Rinuccio, however, disagrees. Schicchi, he tells them, is very shrewd, and the city of Florence is all the richer for newcomers like him.
The much-discussed Gianni arrives and assesses the mournful faces: Buoso Donati must have taken a turn for the better. Rinuccio and Lauretta greet each other and voice their genuine sorrow. Schicchi’s questions quickly uncover the nature of the problem, but Zita takes the opportunity to make clear that she’ll not give her nephew to a dowry-less girl. Schicchi congratulates her on her willingness to sacrifice the young people’s happiness, and starts to drag Lauretta away. She and Rinuccio bid farewell to their hopes. [2] As a last resort Lauretta tells her father that if she can’t have Rinuccio, she’ll drown herself.
Gianni, completely vanquished, asks to see the will which he quickly peruses. Nothing to be done, he says… and yet... His face lights up in a smile, and he sends Lauretta on to the terrace to feed the birds. Does anyone else know that Buoso is dead? No. He instructs that the body be hidden and the bed remade. Then there is a knock at the door: the doctor, come to enquire after his patient. The relatives manage to dissuade him from disturbing Buoso, but he is pleased to hear Buoso’s (i.e. Gianni’s) voice maintaining his improvement from behind the bed curtains, and leaves contented. Gianni asks whether he got the voice right. He did. Do they realise what this means? They must straightaway send for the notary: “Buoso” wishes to make his will.
Gianni describes how he will pass himself off and the relatives hug each other with joy. But who will actually get what? Each makes a bid. They all want the house, the mule and the mills at Signa. Suddenly a bell tolls. Buoso’s demise must be known! But it proves a false alarm. The relatives agree to leave the disposal of the goods to Schicchi. They dress him as Buoso, each offering a bribe if he leaves them the most valuable goods. “That’s fine”, he tells each one in turn. They put “Buoso” to bed.
But first, he says, a warning. You know the law? Anyone who falsifies a will, or even his accomplices, will have a hand cut off and be sent into exile: it’s “Farewell Florence”, he sings. The relatives duly take note before the notary and witnesses knock at the door.
When they enter Gianni is in bed. A few preliminaries lead to the formal statement. Gianni reduces the funeral costs, leaves the monks five lire, and various goods and properties to each relative. Now come the plums: the house, the mule and the mills at Signa. Buoso leaves all three to ... Gianni Schicchi!
Instant uproar — which Gianni silences by singing meaningful snatches of “Farewell Florence”. The will is made and the notary leaves. Beside themselves with rage, the relatives fling themselves on Schicchi, who chases them from what is now his house.
The room is empty for a moment, then the doors open to reveal Lauretta and Rinuccio in each other’s arms on the terrace against the background of the sunlit city. Schicchi, having routed the relatives and retrieved his new belongings, returns, observes his daughter with her lover, and smiles. He turns to the audience and begs its indulgence, pleading extenuating circumstances. He bows.

© 1994 George Hall