Scaevola | Gianni Schicchi

In Mátyássy Szabolcs’s opera, set somewhere in Europe around the turn of the millennium, we find ourselves in the hell of war. The central theme of the plot is based on an ancient legend, the story of Mucius Scævola, who saved Rome with his courage and perseverance by thrusting his hand into the fire for his comrades. His heroic gesture is brought to life on stage in a modernized setting, reflecting circumstances that are still relevant today.

In Puccini’s comic opera, Bouso, a wealthy Florentine citizen, dies unexpectedly. The deep mourning among his relatives quickly turns into panic when they discover that the deceased has left all his wealth to a monastery. Rinuccio suggests to his greedy family that they call for the father of his beloved Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi. Schicchi pretends to be the dying man and helps alter the unfavorable will for the benefit of the family, but he warns the relatives to keep the deception a secret, as such frauds are punished severely by law… Schicchi’s scheme leads to further unexpected twists, both among the greedy family and within his own household.

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