An opera and much more: the third edition of Regeneration Opera, a project by AMAT in collaboration with the Theaters of Siena, the Fondazione Antico Spedale Santa Maria della Scala, Opera Laboratori, Sillabe, and Canale Tre Toscana.
The performance is part of Siena in Opera, a musical theater and opera series championed by Vincenzo Bocciarelli, Director of Siena’s Theaters. The program enriches the season’s offerings, blending the grandeur of Italy’s iconic opera houses with innovation and originality to create a theater accessible to all.
True to AMAT’s tradition, Suor Angelica is an unconventional production, the result of intense work and a continuation of the journey begun with Gianni Schicchi in 2022.
A unique prequel in the form of an epistolary tale and graphic novel introduces the opera, highlighting the remarkable modernity of Puccini’s work while bridging its narrative to contemporary sensibilities. This cultural endeavor, executed by AMAT and director-playwright Sergio Basile, offers a staging that delves into historical and 20th-century imagery while making the story resonate with today’s audiences.
Drawing from documents about the “mythical” correspondence between Puccini and librettist Giovacchino Forzano, the prequel merges real events, plausible scenarios, and imagined details to present a compelling backstory. Who is Suor Angelica really? What was her true name, and what path led her to the convent where she would meet her fate?
The story is illustrated by Spartaco Ripa and accompanied by an epistolary reconstruction crafted by Class V E of the Galileo Galilei High School in Siena. The project will soon become a podcast, further expanding its accessibility and appeal.
Following the prequel, Puccini’s one-act opera unfolds, opening amidst the thunderous chaos of war—World War I—during an Austrian offensive. In May 1917, at the Asiago Monastery, the tumultuous routine of war sets the stage for the protagonist’s drama (portrayed by Cristina Rosa), a story told with extraordinary intensity and elegance through Puccini’s masterful music.
This production is recommended for everyone, not just opera enthusiasts. Performed in a single breath, it presents one cohesive dramatic action, inexorably building toward its poignant climax, capped by a stunning twist at the finale.
The orchestra is AMAT’s own, conducted by Concetta Anastasi. Beyond the students of Galileo Galilei High School, the production benefited from the collaboration of the Scenography School at the Florence Academy of Fine Arts, several classes from the Roncalli Institute in Poggibonsi, and the Piccolomini Music High School in Siena.
The performance also features the participation of the Unione Corale Senese “Ettore Bastianini.”
