Giacomo Puccini's name at birth was Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini. Born in Lucca, Tuscany in 1858, he was one of seven children to Michele Puccini and Albina Magi. Puccini's great great grandfather, Giacomo Puccini, was the first in a long line of successors to the title choirmaster (maestro di cappella) at Cattedrale di San Martino in Lucca. Because his father died when Puccini was 6, it was impossible for him to succeed his father at that time, but he joined the boy's choir at San Martino.
After receiving a general education from San Michele and San Martino seminaries, he went on to study at Pacini School of Music. As part of his studies there, he composed "Messa," a church piece written for an orchestra and four-piece choir. The first of two performances occurred in 1880, but the second didn't occur until 82 years later. This composition ended the Puccini family's musical dynasty in Lucca.
Puccini began to compose operas during his time at the Milan Observatory. His first, "Capriccio sinfonica," his thesis for the observatory, started his career as a opera-composing legend. He went on to create such works as "Edgar," "La boheme," "Tosca" and "Gianni Schicchi."
The Mississippi Opera Guild will perform Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" along with "Pagliacci," written by Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo (1857-1919), March 29 at First Baptist Church of Ridgeland (302 W. Jackson St.).
"Gianni Schicchi" is a one-act comedic opera centered on a family's attempt to stake their claim to a recently deceased uncle's possessions upon learning that he has bequeathed everything to charity. Their deceptive plan to get the will revised to benefit them goes awry when the title character and architect of the scheme, Gianni Schicchi, revises the will mostly in his favor.
On a more somber note is the dark drama "Pagliacci," by Leoncavallo. In this play within a play, unsettling circumstances in the characters' personal lives spill over into the show they are set to perform before a small town audience. In a climatic and tragic turn, Caino, while performing on stage in his role as the clown "Pagliacci," is no longer able to keep in character or suppress his rage as he performs alongside his actress wife whom he discovered is having an affair.
"These are very standard in any opera company repertoire," Tippy Garner, administrative director of the Mississippi Opera, said. "And they're very popular. They're audience favorites."
The selection of both performances was also a matter of choosing works that best showcase the actors' talents.
"You think about the opera you want to produce, and you think about the singers you want to put in it," Garner said.
The performances will feature two popular opera selections, "No, pagliaccio non son" (from "Pagliacci") and "O mio babbino caro" (from "Gianni Schicchi") which have been performed, respectively, by renowned opera singers Luciano Pavarotti and Renee Fleming.
The Mississippi Opera performances will feature Keith Craig, Stephanie Gregory, Nick Webb and Robert Garner. Mississippi native John Christopher Adams is directing "Gianni Schicchi" as well as performing the role of Rinuccio in the piece. This marks the Mississippi College and University of Cincinnati graduate's directorial debut and his second performance with Mississippi Opera.
"To see a show this funny I think it's an amazing thing to win audiences over," Adams said about the humorous opera's story line. "If this is their first time coming, I think they will be thoroughly entertained with what goes on. I just think it's a great show for everyone."
Constantinos Yiannoudes, a native of Cyprus who has performed in operas throughout America and beyond, is directing "Pagliacci." Christopher Ray, a Sumrall native who currently resides in Houston, Texas, will serve as guest conductor for both operas.
The Mississippi Opera Guild is celebrating its 69th year. The organization began as the Jackson Opera Guild in 1945. Its first performance, "Cavalleria Rusticana," was held November of that year at Bailey Magnet High School (now Bailey APAC Middle School). After undergoing reorganization in 1970, it became Mississippi Opera Association, Inc. The name was subsequently changed in 1977 to Mississippi Opera Guild. It is the ninth oldest opera company in the country.
In conjunction with the organization's educational outreach efforts a student matinee featuring both performances will be held Thursday, March 27 at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Ridgeland. The special presentation is open to schools all over the state with many schools outside of the Jackson area expected to attend. Reference materials, including performance synopses, are provided to registered schools in advance of such performances to enhance the learning experience.
The March 29 performances begin at 7:30 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Ridgeland. Tickets are $45 with special student and group rates available ($20 for students and students with ID and $20 each for groups of 10 or more). For more information, contact the Mississippi Opera at 601-960-2300 or visit msopera.org.
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