Mavra
The Mavra project, a comic opera in one act with a libretto by Boris Kochno, was born in 1921 while Stravinskij was in London for a revival of Le sacre du printemps. The subject is taken from a short story by Puškin called The Little House in Kolomna, a simple story with a surprise ending. The young Paraša, in love with the hussar Vasilij, devises a plan to spend more time with her lover. Given the need to find a new maid after the death of the old cook, Paraša disguises Vasilij as a woman and introduces him to his mother and her neighbor as the new cook named Mavra. But the unlikely camouflage is short-lived because the hussar in women's circles is surprised by mother and daughter in the act of shaving his beard. The revelation of Mavra's true identity causes her mother to faint and her neighbor to intervene promptly; the hussar has no choice but to escape out the window while Paraša screams in despair. Mavra debuted in Paris on 3 June 1922 without however enjoying the hoped-for success. Stravinskij, despite Djaghilev's requests, refused to change the ending considered by his friend to be too banal and immediate, defending his choices and the value of this small work which he particularly cared about. He dedicated the score to Puškin, Glinka and Čajkovskij, a gesture that sounded like a provocation for those, especially in Paris, who associated Russian music only with folklore. The work divided into closed numbers - arias, duets, quartets - refers to the model of Italian melodrama. Even the bel canto vocality is linked to tradition, however Mavra is also an extremely modern work in which varied sound materials coexist - jazz cues, Russian and gypsy motifs - and in which continuous contrasts are created between the traditional vocal line and orchestral writing, characterized by an often mechanical progression and the predominance of harsh timbral mixtures. Stravinskij deliberately chose a singular instrumental team, in which the wind instruments are in the majority compared to the strings, to recreate in some moments the sounds of a band rather than an orchestra.

New staging

Gianni Schicchi
The last of the three one-act plays that make up Puccini's “Trittico”, Gianni Schicchi narrates the farc antics of the protagonist of the title, a Florentine scoundrel cited by Dante in the Divina Commedia for having forged a will. The action takes place in Florence in 1299. The Donati family is in turmoil after the death of their relative Buoso who seems to have donated his considerable inheritance to a convent. To find a solution, Gianni Schicchi, known in the city for his cunning and sagacity, is consulted. As a true deus ex machina, the protagonist pretends to be a dying Buoso but in dictating his last wishes to the notary he registers his most precious assets to 'his devoted friend' Gianni Schicchi, arousing the wrath of his greedy relatives. However, the scam is dictated by a noble aim; in doing so Gianni ensures a nice dowry for his daughter Lauretta who will be able to marry Rinuccio Donati with all due respect to the haughty family. For Puccini Gianni Schicchi represented a very successful foray into the comedy genre. The lively story also served as a perfect counterpoint to the two tragic stories that preceded it (Il tabarro e Suor Angelica). The Trittico debuted at the Metropolitan in New York on 14 December 1918. The public's reception was lukewarm, with the exception of Gianni Schicchi who immediately enjoyed great success. The secret of the immediate acclaim lies in the amalgam of ingredients of the comic tradition expertly dosed by the Tuscan composer: characteristic and hilarious vocal ensembles, brilliant writing and a very tight rhythm that leads to an applause-worthy finale.

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino staging
Pics of the 2019 staging

The performance of the 20th December, 2024, will be streamed live on Rai Radio 3.

SIPARI CREATIVI

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDRENS

Do you have a ticket or a subscription for an afternoon show? Take your little ones to discover the opera!

"Sipari Creativi" is workshops for the young ones and aimed for opera through various activities such as games and storytelling and are intended for children's parents (between 6 and 10 years old) with tickets or subscriptions for the shows,   and take place during the shows.

Participation is free and can be booked through the Eventbrite website.

Sunday December 15th at 5 pm
Sunday December 22nd at 3.30 pm

BOOKING