Baltimore Concert Opera presents:

Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and

Michael Ching’s Buoso’s Ghost

About the composers: The Gist of the Stories: Setting: Palazzo of Buoso Donati, Florence, Italy Giacomo Puccini The greedy relatives of the wealthy Buoso Donati Puccini, who grew up in Lucca, Italy WHO? gather at his deathbed to mourn his passing and into a long line of church musicians, remains to this day one of the most famous and Gianni Schicchi Composer: investigate the details of his will. They read the will, which proves the rumors were true and the popular opera composers in the world. With works Giacomo Puccini patriarch has planned to leave all his wealth to a such as Madama Butterfly, La bohème and Tosca, (1858– 1924) monastery! Rinuccio suggests that his girlfriend he is known for his heart-wrenching lyricism born Lauretta’s father, Gianni Schicchi, a shrewd self- throughout stories of drama and tragedy. Schicchi was the last opera he completed; written as a part Librettist: Giovacchino made man, can help them. Schicchi appears with Lauretta. Disgusted by the hypocrisy and avarice of a trio of unrelated operas, collectively titled Il Forzano; based on a story of the aristocratic family, he is about to leave but tritticco, that displayed his talents in the genres of from Dante’s Divine Comedy decides to stay when Lauretta proclaims her horror, tragedy, and finally comedy - in the form of intention to marry Rinuccio. Schicchi devises a Gianni Schicchi. Buoso’s Ghost Composer plan to impersonate the dead man and change the Michael Ching and Librettist: will. The relatives each try to secretly bribe Born 100 years after Puccini in Michael Ching (b. 1958) Schicchi to leave the best parts of the estate to Honolulu, Hawaii, Ching subsequently them, but when the notary arrives he dictates that grew up in New Orleans and Minnesota, playing WHAT? most of the inheritance is to be left to his good piano and studying many other instruments along friend: Gianni Schicchi! The relatives are furious Two one-act comedies: one, with composition. As a young adult, he continued but can say nothing. Turning to the audience, he his formal composition studies with Robert Ward the last completed opera by points out how happy his fraud has made the and Carlisle Floyd. Mainly known for his operatic Puccini – the other, a sequel young lovers and pleads for a verdict of not guilty. works, Ching has also had a busy career as a written by Michael Ching conductor and opera administrator (Opera In Ching’s sequel, Schicchi discovers that Buoso’s Memphis, Virginia Opera). Today, he lives in Ames, almost 8 decades later! food and drink have all been poisoned by the Iowa, travelling to present his operas all around the relations. We hear the relatives approaching. country. His opera Speed Dating Tonight! is one of WHEN? WHERE? Quickly Schicchi scribbles a note and tucks it into the most-performed operas of the 21st century. Buoso's nightshirt. They have come for revenge, Gianni Schicchi premiere: bringing a magistrate with them. They angrily The Characters December 14, 1918 accuse Schicchi of murdering Uncle Buoso. He GIANNI SCHICCHI, a LAURETTA, at the Metropolitan Opera sneaks up to each one and tells them that he self -made man Schicchi’s daughter knows that they have poisoned the old man. Each group of relatives offers Schicchi a bribe if he will ZITA, Cousin of Buoso’s Ghost premiere: blame somebody else, but Schicchi makes no the deceased RINUCCIO, Zita’s nephew promises. Finally, he goes over to Uncle Buoso's First staged at Pittsburgh Buoso, a wealthy body and pulls out the note and reads it: aristocrat Opera Center in 1996, with Uncle Buoso has committed suicide! All are GHERARDO, NELLA and GHERARDINO, nephew of the official premiere at Opera shocked at this horrible sin. The relatives realize BETTO, Buoso’s the deceased, along with his that Schicchi has outwitted them again. Jokingly, Memphis in 1997 brother in law wife and their son Betto says that they will get the money back in the long run since Rinuccio and Lauretta are getting married. They all realize they can just kill Schicchi SIMONE with MARCO and A NOTARY LA CIESCA, Buoso’s cousin, now and inherit everything. Overhearing this, Schicchi hides behind the body and blows out the his son and son’s wife. MAGISTRATE candles. He summons the ghost of Buoso Donati and scares the family from the house, victorious SPINELLOCCIO, TWO FRIARS, brothers Baltimore Concert Opera once again! a doctor from the monastery 11 W. Mount Vernon Pl. Baltimore, MD, 21201 Read more about Puccini and Ching Ashbrook, William (1985). The Operas of Puccini. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. baltimoreconcertopera.com http://operaandbeyond.com/ - Michael Ching’s works, biography, and blog