Waterworks & Opera Sunday!

Water Works
16"x 18"
Charcoal

Gianni Schicchi

By Opera company of Philadelphia
Stage design was excellent, as well as the performances. Several young and talented artists are making their debut in this opera. It would be a flawless experience if we hadn't sat in front of some very self-absorbed, opinionated loudmouth older lady. I didn't pay to hear what she has to say about the opera, in person,obviously.

After Buoso Donati (an extremely wealthy man) dies, chaos ensues. His money-grubbing relatives, pretending to be mourning his death, search frantically for his will. After it is found, and it is discovered that he left most of his money and possessions to the local monks, the family is horrified. They beg cunning Gianni Schicchi to find a solution. At first Schicchi does not want to help the revolting family, but eventually agrees to impersonate Buoso Donati and attempt to change the will (since no one outside of the family knows Donati has already died). In the end, Schicchi succeeds in changing the will, but ends up giving most of the possessions to himself!
*Source (http://www.stageagent.com/Shows/View/714)

In the beginning, the family laughs at Schicchi because he was a "nobody" from the countryside. Later, they realize their share of Donati's estate rest entirely with the scheme developed by Schicchi. Schicchi warns the family it is illegal to tamper with a will, an offense that carries severe punishment, including excile and chopping of a hand. They begin to embrace him as their savior. The family, willing to steal the estate willed to the monks with a false will, later in the play cries out that Schicchi was a thief, a robber, and a liar. At the end of the opera, Schicchi's daughter marries Donati's nephew and they live happily ever after. Meanwhile, the other family members have enough to live on from what Schicchi gave them through the false will; their greed was not satisfied and they will forever be envious and miserable for not getting the entire estate and live the life they expected. DON'T YA KNOW!:)