LA VOIX HUMAINE - Seattle Opera

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30 2012/13 Season at Seattle Opera Teatro Massimo, Palermo
Aria Ready? spotlight on SUOR ANGELICA Maria Gavrilova, Angelica “Senza mamma” Angelica reacts to the news of her son’s death. Long Story Short After sin comes penitence and forgiveness for a loving mother. Who’s Who? Sister Angelica, who knows the powers of every herb in the convent’s garden, has been a nun for seven years—but has yet to find peace. The Princess, her wealthy aunt, likes to appear pious and noble, although really she is manipulative and cruel. Sister Genovieffa, who used to be a shepherdess, misses her darling little lambs. Sister Dolcina (“Sweet-Tooth”) likes to commit the sin of gluttony. The Abbess is trying to run a serious convent; no “Nunsense” here. Where and When? A convent in northern Italy, late seventeenth century. What’s Going On? For seven years Sister Angelica has led the quiet life of a nun. Not much happens at her convent: every so often special treats, such as currants, Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giovacchino FoRZano First performed New YoRK City, 1919 In Italian with English Captions At Seattle Opera May 2013 Production Sponsor ArtsFund come in with the donations of food; and once a year the sunlight through a certain window strikes the fountain and turns the water golden. The nuns follow a strict rule, and spend most of their time in prayer. And none of the other nuns really understands why Angelica is there. Born a princess, Angelica was forced to become a nun when she bore a child out of wedlock. The opera takes place the day Angelica finally receives a visit: it is her aunt, who needs her to sign some family documents. Angelica’s little sister will marry, the aunt explains; they have found a man who agrees to look past the shameful stain Angelica left on their once-glorious family name. But first Angelica must sign away her inheritance. Angelica is more interested in what became of her baby. “Two years ago he took sick,” her aunt responds. “Everything was done to save him, but....” Angelica signs her aunt’s document, and the old woman leaves her alone. Desiring more than anything to be with her son, she collects herbs from the convent garden, prepares poison, and drinks it. Suddenly realizing that in her desperate love she has committed a mortal sin, Angelica prays to the Virgin Mary, imploring salvation, and as she dies, she receives a sign of grace—a vision of her dead son. SO: Does your character change as she sings this aria? MG: Angelica starts the aria with sadness for both her child and herself, that they never knew each other’s love. At first she is sad (the aria begins in A Minor), imagining him dying alone and unloved. She then thinks that he is happy in heaven (changing to F Major), and thinks how happy she will be when they are together in heaven. SO: Do you remember the first time you heard this aria? MG: Yes, when I was a student in Moscow Conservatory, I heard Mirella Freni sing it on an EMI aria recording from the 1960s. The performance I like the best is a video from La Scala with Rosalind Plowright. With both singers, I was impressed by how they used their voices in such a difficult aria with feeling. SO: What do you like most about singing this aria? MG: Angelica is a combination of sweetness and power. SO: What’s most challenging about it? MG: The pianissimi high notes in the aria are challenging and even more so at the end in the prayer that follows the aria. SO: After “Senza mamma,” you’re still the only one onstage. How is the rest of the opera different from the part that’s technically considered the aria? MG: After the aria, Suor Angelica loses her rational mind and is in ecstasy thinking about her son and herself in heaven. This music, not only the singing, but the orchestra too, is what we think of as real Puccini. 2012/13 Season at Seattle Opera 31
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LA VOIX HUMAINE - Seattle Opera

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