L'Enfant et les Sortilèges A naughty child, procrastinating over school work, is reprimanded by his mother. Along in his room, the child throws a tantrum and attacks everything around him, including the family cat. One by one all of the objects in the room come to life to speak to him of their plight: the armchair, grandfather clock, even the flickering fire. Suddenly his neglected arithmetic homework comes up to challenge him with impossible exercises. The cat meows a duet with its mate. Gradually the room transforms into a garden filled with singing animals and tress, who lament their cruel wounds inflicted by the child. They shun him because of the damage he did to them previously. Feeling rejected from this harmonious animal world, he eventually cries out, "Maman." At this, the animals turn and close in on him. A small squirrel, previously wounded, comes up to the child's lap. Instinctively the child shows compassion, and bandages the squirrel's paw with a ribbon. These actions cause the animals to have a change of heart toward the child, and they decide to try to help him home by calling "Maman." Soon, Maman comes to the call and is reunited with her child. Gianni Schicchi (Buoso Donati's bedroom: Florence 1299) Buoso Donati, a rich older gentleman, has just died. His relatives are gathered around the deathbed feigning grief, while their minds are on the contents of his will. All of Buoso Donati's relatives are gathered around his deathbed. They are pretending to grieve when a rumor surfaces that Buoso has left his entire fortune to a local monastery. The rumor sends everyone into a frenzy to locate the will. Rinuccio finds it first and withholds it from the others with a condition attached: when the family members receive their money, Rinuccio wants their permission to marry Lauretta, the daughter of Gianni Schicchi. The family agrees, but they are disappointed when the will is opened and it does indeed leave all of Buoso's money to the Church. Rinuccio, determined to get his way, suggests that the family consult Gianni Schicchi, who is famed for his cunning. Not waiting for the family to answer, Rinuccio secretly summons Schicchi for help. The family scoffs at Schicchi's low birth but eventually deigns to ask for help. Schicchi refuses and Lauretta intercedes, begging her father to change his mind and make her marriage to Rinuccio possible in the famous aria "O, mio babbino caro." Schicchi agrees and comes up with a plan: they are to hide Buoso's death long enough for him to disguise himself as the old man and dictate a new will. The family loves the plan and promptly contacts a notary. Before the notary arrives, each family member tries to bribe Schicchi to leave the largest portion of property to them. Schicchi agrees to all of the bribes, and reminds the family members that revealing the hoax will mean severe legal repercussions: the penalty for forgery is the loss of a hand and exile. When the notary arrives, Schicchi, as Buoso, awards the majority of the property to "my devoted friend, Gianni Schicchi." The relatives are helpless to intervene and once the notary is gone, Schicchi drives them all out of his newly-inherited home. Rinuccio and Lauretta remain and sing of their love. Schicchi joins them and annouces to the audience his satisfaction with the way Buoso's money has been used.
L'Enfant et les Sortilèges
A naughty child, procrastinating over school work, is reprimanded by his mother. Along in his room, the child throws a tantrum and attacks everything around him, including the family cat. One by one all of the objects in the room come to life to speak to him of their plight: the armchair, grandfather clock, even the flickering fire. Suddenly his neglected arithmetic homework comes up to challenge him with impossible exercises. The cat meows a duet with its mate.
Gradually the room transforms into a garden filled with singing animals and tress, who lament their cruel wounds inflicted by the child. They shun him because of the damage he did to them previously. Feeling rejected from this harmonious animal world, he eventually cries out, "Maman."
At this, the animals turn and close in on him. A small squirrel, previously wounded, comes up to the child's lap. Instinctively the child shows compassion, and bandages the squirrel's paw with a ribbon. These actions cause the animals to have a change of heart toward the child, and they decide to try to help him home by calling "Maman." Soon, Maman comes to the call and is reunited with her child.
Gianni Schicchi (Buoso Donati's bedroom: Florence 1299)
Buoso Donati, a rich older gentleman, has just died. His relatives are gathered around the deathbed feigning grief, while their minds are on the contents of his will.
All of Buoso Donati's relatives are gathered around his deathbed. They are pretending to grieve when a rumor surfaces that Buoso has left his entire fortune to a local monastery. The rumor sends everyone into a frenzy to locate the will.
Rinuccio finds it first and withholds it from the others with a condition attached: when the family members receive their money, Rinuccio wants their permission to marry Lauretta, the daughter of Gianni Schicchi. The family agrees, but they are disappointed when the will is opened and it does indeed leave all of Buoso's money to the Church.
Rinuccio, determined to get his way, suggests that the family consult Gianni Schicchi, who is famed for his cunning. Not waiting for the family to answer, Rinuccio secretly summons Schicchi for help. The family scoffs at Schicchi's low birth but eventually deigns to ask for help. Schicchi refuses and Lauretta intercedes, begging her father to change his mind and make her marriage to Rinuccio possible in the famous aria "O, mio babbino caro."
Schicchi agrees and comes up with a plan: they are to hide Buoso's death long enough for him to disguise himself as the old man and dictate a new will. The family loves the plan and promptly contacts a notary. Before the notary arrives, each family member tries to bribe Schicchi to leave the largest portion of property to them. Schicchi agrees to all of the bribes, and reminds the family members that revealing the hoax will mean severe legal repercussions: the penalty for forgery is the loss of a hand and exile.
When the notary arrives, Schicchi, as Buoso, awards the majority of the property to "my devoted friend, Gianni Schicchi." The relatives are helpless to intervene and once the notary is gone, Schicchi drives them all out of his newly-inherited home. Rinuccio and Lauretta remain and sing of their love. Schicchi joins them and annouces to the audience his satisfaction with the way Buoso's money has been used.
