Opera Omaha | Suor Angelica

Suor Angelica

Feb 24 26 2023

SHOW INFORMATION

Dates

Feb 24, 2023	7:30 PM
Feb 26, 2023	2:00 PM

Venue

Orpheum Theater

409 S 16th St
Omaha, NE 68102

Location

OVERVIEW

The end is the beginning

When forced to be alone,

What strength churns inside you?

Composed by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano

Performed in Italian with English supertitles

The performance runs approximately 65 minutes without intermission

VIEW STUDY GUIDE

Information to know before you go

Scenery and Costumes for this Production are Courtesy of Tri-Cities Opera, Inc.

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

Puccini’s heart wrenching one-act opera Suor Angelica tells the story of Sister Angelica, a woman forced by her aristocratic family to join a convent and give up the child she birthed out of wedlock. Puccini’s glorious music captures the profound emotion of a mother’s love and loss of that which is held most dear. Conductor Judith Yan and soprano Elaine Alvarez will make their Opera Omaha debuts in this poignant production directed by Keturah Stickann (2018 Opera Outdoors).

SYNOPSIS

The cloisters and garden of a convent.

Two postulants are late for prayer. Also late is Sister Angelica, who kneels in penance for her tardiness. As the nuns leave the chapel, the abbey Monitor and Mistress of Novices chide their charges. The sisters are excited by the annual occurrence of a natural phenomenon – on only three evenings a year the rays of the setting sun give the water in the font a glow as if the water is golden. The sisters decide they will sprinkle some of the golden water on the tomb of one of their recently departed. Sister Genevieve discusses her innocent wish to see a lamb. She inquires if Angelica has a wish, but Angelica denies that she does. The other sisters call this a lie, whispering that Angelica, once rich and noble, was forced into the convent seven years ago and is saddened by the fact that she has never had any contact from her family.
Sister Angelica has learned about the use of herbs in making potions to cure various illnesses and brews one to ease the pain of a fellow sister’s wasp sting. As the nuns examine the wares of a trip to the market, they learn that a very grand carriage has arrived at the entrance. Angelica is overcome with the hope that it is a visitor here to see her. The Abbess comes to tell Angelica that her aunt, the Princess, has arrived.
Although eager to embrace her aunt, Angelica finds the Princess is cold and unfriendly, offering her only a hand to kiss. The Princess informs Angelica that she has divided Angelica’s deceased parents’ estate. She has come because Angelica’s younger sister is to be married and Angelica must sign a document renouncing any claim on the family fortune.
Angelica declares that she repents her sin, but cannot forget her son, who she only saw once. She begs her aunt to tell her of the boy’s welfare. Reluctantly the Princess tells her that the child was taken ill two years previously and has died. Overcome with grief, Angelica signs the document. The Princess departs.
Left alone, Angelica reels in the agony of her child dying without his mother. A new wish has overtaken her – the wish to die. The sisters approach her, but Angelica believes that a heavenly grace has descended on her.
As the other nuns go to their cells for the night, Angelica mixes various poisonous herbs with the water from the font and, in a trance like state, she drinks the potion.
As the pain brings reality back, Angelica pleads for forgiveness. The chapel doors open, and an apparition of the Virgin Mary appears with a small child, whom she guides toward Angelica. Angelica embraces her child and falls to the ground dead.

CREATIVE TEAM

Judith Yan

Conductor

Keturah Stickann

Director

S.A. Panfili

Scenic Designer

Betty Fredrickson

Costume Designer

J. Isadora Krech

Lighting Designer

Ronell Oliveri

Wig & Makeup Designer

CAST

Elaine Alvarez

Sister Angelica

Ronnita Miller

La Principessa

Deborah Nansteel

The Abbess

Kelly Guerra

The Monitor

Hilary Ginther

Mistress of Novices

Jennifer Cherest

Sister Genovieffa

Opera Omaha Chorus

Omaha Symphony

Production Staff

PROGRAM BOOK

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PHOTOS

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