Il Trittico review

Following its 1918 premiere, Puccini’s triptych of three contrasting one-act operas quickly started to fall apart. His only comedy – the mordant, Ortonesque Gianni Schicchi – was declared the clear winner, while the dark thriller Il Tabarro and Suor Angelica, the tragic tale of a nun’s suicide, were sidelined. In recent decades, though, there’s been renewed interest in performing all three operas together. In what is the first complete, fully professional staging north of the border since 1957, Scottish Opera’s new production undoubtedly vindicates such an approach.

Glaswegian director David McVicar presents thoroughly assured and thought-through stagings, each distinguished by outstanding realistic designs by Charles Edwards: the barge on which the action of Il Tabarro (The Cloak) takes place even glides down the mist-covered Seine at the start of the evening. Large casts – Il Tabarro alone features 18 solo or standout roles – have been handpicked and there is exceptional vocal and dramatic excellence on offer throughout.

Roland Wood is superb as brooding barge-owner Michele, watching out for the lover whom he suspects his wife entertains. Giorgetta’s barely controlled desperation is perfectly conveyed by Sunyoung Seo, while Viktor Antipenko gives an ardent account of Luigi, the hired hand who comes to a sticky end. Among many smaller roles, Louise Winter’s happy-go-lucky scavenger La Frugola is particularly memorable.

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