La Rondine by Mn Opera at the Ordway

Minnesota Opera kicks off it's 2018-2019 season with a rarely performed Puccini work, La Rondine. I walked in knowing nothing about the opera except that I knew there was a famous soprano aria from it. I assumed that since it was rarely performed that it was probably one of Puccini's early works. I had heard that it was written in the style of an operetta. I walked in with no preconceived notions or ideas of what to expect. This is rare for opera goers, and opera fans. Most people to attend the opera go knowing the story, the music, and having at least one or two recordings of it in their musical library, as well as having seen a production before.

I walked in with no knowledge, and walked out with a mind swimming in beautiful melodies, gorgeous costumes, wonderful set designs, and a recognition of the power of a director to mold a work. Let's start with the basics. The opera by Puccini was premiered in 1917. This was after his big trio of operas - La Boheme, Tosca, and Madame Butterfly. This work was tucked between La Fanciulla del West and Il Trittico (his trio of short works), as well as Turandot, his final work.

The opera takes place during the Belle Epoque, the time in French history between the end of the Franco-Prussian War, and the start of World War I. It starts at a lovely party/salon which is being hosted by Magda. The back of the stage is a large window with the Notre Dame in the background, and the river Seine glistening. There is a painter and a model, a poet - who is also a musician, and the guests - all being entertained by the poet, Prunier. He claims he is working on a new song which becomes the well known aria "Chi il bel songo di Doretta." (sidenote: you may recognize it as a theme from the film A Room with a View.) Magda takes over and sings the song with her added lyrics as the poet had not figured out how to finish it. Lisette, the maid, comes in and interrupts the party by stating that "the man is here again" wanting to see the master of the house (and the man who pays for all that Magda wants, for she is a kept woman) Rambaldo. Magda's is overcome with a sense of nostalgia and sings of a magical evening when she found love. The guests tell Prunier that he should write about Magda's story, he turns them down and entertains a circle of women friends and Magda with some palmreading. While this is taking place behind a screen, the man comes in - Ruggero. After he and Ramblado chat, he asks what he should do in Paris as he is new to town. He is convinced to go to Bulliers. The party winds down, the guests leave, Magda tells Lisette her intent to stay in. Lisette (who is having a secret romance with Prunier) heads out in Magda's clothing to Bulliers. The end of act one shows Magda wearing a simple dress as a disguise heading out to Bulliers by herself - in hopes of having another adventure like that one magical evening.

I won't say more except that there is some great comedy in Act Two of mistaken identity while at Bulliers, as well as love at first sight. Act Three brings it all to a heartbreaking finale - which in opera terms is still a comedy as there is no death. The sets for all three acts took full advantage of the wide and deep stage at the Ordway. While I thought this worked really well for the first and third act, the second act all takes place at the club Bulliers. This club, from everything I had heard in Act One, should have been crowded and noisy, full of people and dancing. While there was the full chorus on stage, and the stage was full - it did not give the impression of being crowded. It was a very genteel crowd which worked to an extent. For me personally, I would have liked more of a crowded scene like the street scene in Boheme. That being said, the staging allowed for some room to dance which was really nice. It isn't often that you get a dance number in Puccini. The final act is set in the Riviera and the stage design was perfect - long flowing curtains, breezes, and a gorgeous video backdrop. The backdrops were used so well to set the scene, as well as depict time changes. Act Two takes place in one night and the backdrop showed the audience the moon passing across the stage, setting, and dawn rising. It was gorgeous.

When it comes to Puccini, gorgeous is really the best word. His compositions are just that - gorgeous. Easy to listen to, dramatic when needed, gorgeous and heartbreaking when needed as well. While La Rondine may not be one of his best known operas, it is still a wonderful work. What makes it tricky is that there are three different versions of the opera. Puccini kept working on it and gave it a few different endings. What I saw at MN Opera was good but it was moving and heartbreaking because of the framing device that the director used. He framed it as Magda revisiting these locations after World War I, and seeing the opera in her memory. I found that device to be exceptional in making a good work even better. It created tension, while also making the ending much stronger. I won't give it away but will leave you to attend and see for yourself. I'm sure you will feel as the two loving leads do, and laugh with comic relief provided by the poet and the maid. I know you will enjoy the gorgeous costumes, set, music and incredible singing in this production of La Rondine.