Cavalleria Rusticana & Gianni Schicchi

This project was funded in part by the following sponsors:  Republic Bank, Minnesota Power, and North Shore Bank of Commerce.

9 minutes from downtown Duluth, with plenty of free parking

Your evening will begin with the heartbreaking tragedy of Cavalleria Rusticana and end with Puccini’s comic masterpiece, Gianni Schicchi.  Hear LOON’s orchestra and chorus as you’ve never heard them before, joined by world class soloists in an all new production, directed by Calland Metts and conducted by Keith Swanson.

Starring local singing luminaries  Vicki Fingalson, Rachel Inselman, Marcus McConico, Jeffrey Madison and Calland Metts and newcomer Andrew Oakden, along with Suzanne Kritzberg and Reinhard von Rabeneau from The Minnesota Ballet.

Conducted by Keith Swanson, LOON’s orchestra swells to 24 players for these lush, romantic scores.

Stage direction by Calland Metts, set design by Ann Gumpper.

There will be English supertitles for both operas, to ensure that the audience understands every word.

Cavalleria Rusticana

Mascagni’s tragic masterpiece, Cavalleria Rusticana, boasts some of opera’s most glorious moments:  the “Regina Coeli” will put the spotlight on LOON’s outstanding chorus, and the “Intermezzo” will feature choreography by Rebecca Katz-Harwood, danced by guest artists from The Minnesota Ballet.  Sung in Italian with English supertitles.

Andrew Oakden as Turiddu	Vicki Fingalson as Santuzza

Gianni Schicchi

Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi will ensure that the evening ends with laughter.  This is family dysfunction at its most melodious!  Even an opera newbie will recognize “O mio babbino caro”, the famous soprano aria, sung in this production by Rachel Inselman.  Sung in English with English supertitles (making doubly sure you understand every word!)

Jeffrey Madison as  Gianni Schicchi	Rachel Inselman as  Lauretta	Marcus McConico as  Rinuccio