Gen up on your Gianni

For the next edition in our trivia opera guide for novices and opera buffs alike, we take a look at  Puccini‘s one-act opera Gianni Schicchi.

• The work is the third and final part of Puccini’s Il trittico (The Triptych)—three one-act operas. When Il trittico premiered in New York, Rome and London, Gianni Schicchi was an immediate hit and by 1920 Puccini had given his reluctant consent to separate performances. Gianni Schicchi has subsequently become the most-performed part of Il trittico and has been widely recorded

• The libretto is based on an incident mentioned in Dante’s The Divine Comedy

• The world premiere took place at the Metropolitan Opera (above image) in New York unusually without Puccini being there

• Woody Allen directed Gianni Schicchi for Los Angeles Opera in 2008

• Gianni Schicchi was to be the last opera Puccini ever completed

Gianni Schicchi is in rep at Opera Holland Park until 14 July.

Check out our Opera Holland Park Pinterest Board for more interesting facts on this year’s season.