La Rondine

Composer: Puccini, Giacomo

Librettist/Text Author: Adami, Giuseppe

Libretto Source: Reichert, Heinz

Libretto Source: Willner, Alfred Maria

Conductor: Veronesi, Alberto

Orchestra: Puccini Festival Orchestra

Chorus: Puccini Festival Chorus

Chorus Master: Visconti, Stefano

Bianca: Meozzi, Alessandra

Crebillon: Patucelli, Andrea

Fleury: Sarlo, Katia De

Gobin: Berrugi, Giorgio

Lisette: Dashuk, Maya

Magda: Vassileva, Svetla

Mariette: Wen, Chang Chiung

Perichaud: Ciuffo, Fernando Luis

Prunier: Giannino, Emanuele

Rambaldo: Giossi, Marzio

Roro: Lombardo, Elisabetta

Ruggero: Sartori, Fabio

Suzy: Vestri, Annunziata

Un maggiordomo: Manghesi, Alessando

Yvette: Volfson, Polina

Set Designer: Hollis, Fred Nall

Costume Designer: Hollis, Fred Nall

Lighting Designer: Alfieri, Valerio

Choreographer: Stiscia, Giancarlo

Stage Director: Amato, Lorenzo

Television Producer: Dellepiane, Alberto

Television Director: Ricchetti, Matteo

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Date of Production: 16-08-2007

Festival: Puccini Festival

Venue: Teatro dei Quattromila, Torre del Lago

Playing Time: 01:51:01

Catalogue Number: 2.110266

UPC: 747313526659

Synopsis

La Rondine

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Although one of his most consistently lyrical operas, La rondine (The Swallow) remains one of Puccini's least known. Dissatisfied with the result of his work, Puccini wrote three versions, with two different endings, and continued to make further revisions up to his death in 1924. The innovative 2007 production at the Torre del Lago Giacomo Puccini Festival, presented here, is in effect a fourth version, which combines Acts I and II of the first version (1917), with Lorenzo Ferrero?EUR(TM)s 1994 orchestration of parts of the Finale of Act III of the incomplete third version (1921), some of which had survived only in piano score, as well as Ruggero's Act I romanza, Parigi e la citta dei desideri, from the second version (1920).

With a sparkling score reminiscent of Franz Lehar and Richard Strauss, La rondine, set in mid-19th century Paris, tells the story of Magda de Civry, a young courtesan who falls in love one evening with Ruggero Lastouc, the handsome son of a childhood friend of her protector, Rambaldo Fernandez. Although Magda believes that her compromised social position prevents their marrying, in Puccini's third version it is Ruggero who leaves Magda when he discovers that she is the mistress of Rambaldo.