GORHAM, ME — The University of Southern Maine Department of Theatre, in collaboration with the Osher Opera Theatre and the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra, present the first opera on the Russell Hall mainstage in over five years, Puccini’s beloved Gianna Schicchi, November 21st-24th.

Gianni Schicchi tells the story of a beloved family mourning the loss of Buoso Donati. That is, until they learn the contents of his last will and testament.  When it is revealed that Donati has left his fortune to the local monastery, the family employs Gianni Schicchi to help them update the document – post-mortem. Based on Dante’s Divine Comedy, the opera boasts one of the most beloved arias of all time, O mio babbino caro. Sung in Italian, with English supertitles, the one-act opera is sure to delight.

Directed by Associate Professor and Artistic Director of the Osher Opera Theatre, Dr. Malinda Haslett, this production will mark the return of a fully-produced opera on the Russell Hall stage since before the pandemic. Dr. Robert Lehmann, Conductor and Artistic Coordinator of the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra and Artist Faculty at the Osher School of Music, conducts.

For many of the student performers and musicians, this is the first time they’ve been a part of a mainstage opera production. Dr. Haslett says the students have met this challenge full-on with skill and determination, “Musically and professionally, they have learned a complicated score that some doubted they could learn. They have learned to problem-solve in the moment, to sing better every day, and to demand more of themselves. They have learned Italian geography, history, and language. They have learned that opera is alive and well, if you make it relevant and fun and these students are doing just that!”

For both opera lovers and the uninitiated, this production promises a delightful night of entertainment. Dr. Haslett says Gianni Schicchi is both timely and timeless, “Puccini wrote the opera in 1919 at the end of WWI, when the world’s spirit desperately needed a reason to laugh. He dared us to laugh in the face of death, all while creating one of the most beautiful melodies of all time, O mio babbino caro. Our production of Gianni Schicchi is eye and ear candy –  great singing, easy-to-read super titles, opulent 1920s-style costumes, and the full sound of the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra.”

For info & tickets, visit USM Theatre online at https://usm.maine.edu/department-theatre/box-office-tickets/ or call the USM Theatre Box Office at (207) 780-5151. For more information on USM’s Department of Theatre events and programs, click here.

Gianni Schicchi

In collaboration with the Osher School of Music

By Giacomo Puccini

Presented by the Osher Opera Theatre & the Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra

November 21-24, 2024

Russell Hall, USM Gorham Campus

Performances:

Thursday, November 21 at 7pm (Pay-what-you-can)

Friday, November 22 at 7pm

Saturday, November 23 at 7pm

Sunday, November 24 at 2pm

Appropriate for ages 13 and up.

Content advisory: Brief depiction of a dead body at a funeral.

General Admission: $24

Senior 65+: $18

USM Faculty/Staff/Alumni: $20

USM Students & Non-USM Students: $10

Group rate: $8/person – for schools and community groups

Pay-What-You-Can: Thursday, November 21st, 7pm

Those needing special accommodations to participate fully in this program, contact Janice Gardner at (207)780-5289 or janice.gardner@maine.edu. Hearing impaired: call USM’s telex / TDD number (207)780-5646.

Cast: L-R, Back to Front: Jared Vigue (Rinuccio), Aberdeen Brickett (Zita), Karoline Brechter (Lauretta), Mary Fencer (Ciesca), Michael Mitchell (Gheradino). Photo courtesy of Kat Moraros Photography