Giacomo Puccini

Suor Angelica: Intermezzo

SUOR ANGELICA (SISTER ANGELICA) is a one-act opera by Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924). The second opera in a trio known as IL TRITTICO (THE TRIPTYCH), each one dealing with the concealment of a death, the work premiered at the Metropolitan Opera on December 14, 1918. It tells the story of a 17th century nun, Angelica, who has been placed in a convent by her family, whom she has not seen for seven years. Her aunt, the Princess, arrives after all this time to ask Angelica to sign away her inheritance. Angelica refuses to do so, not for herself, but for her son whose birth was the reason for her being placed in the convent. The Princess then informs her that her son had died two years previously, resulting in Sister Angelica's decision to poison herself so that she may join her son, realizing too late that committing such a mortal sin would condemn her to eternal separation from her son. Begging for mercy, the Virgin Mary appears with her son, who runs to embrace her. The beautiful INTERMEZZO takes place near the end of the opera, as Sister Angelica gathers the herbs to make her poison. Instrumentation: 2.2+EH.2+BCl.2: 4.2.0.0: Timp.Perc(1): Hp.Clst: Str (9-8-7-6-5 in set).