In Love and Death, Suor Angelica Is Sweet Music to the Soul
As with most operas, themes of love, romance, murder, madness, and the darker trope of suicide are evident. Suor Angelica takes its place amongst the list of tragedies in Puccini’s operatic catalogue, which is most noted for the works of La boheme and Madama Butterfly. The 85-minute one act opera is a series of three works known as The Triptych, (Il trittico, receiving its world premiere at The Met in 1918.) Suor Angelica is a spiritual journey that as it soars, takes an unexpected turn. As if a foreshadowing of Puccini’s own untimely death, it expertly denotes the rise of tension and demise. During this time of Lent, Suor Angelica is a divine reflection of a mother’s love albeit great pain. There is infinite beauty in the way the music lifts you up, preparing for the cataclysmic downfall of a woman longing to be reunited with her son. An Italian libretto unveils a shimmering score with ethereal orchestral movement.