| Puccini, Giacomo (1858-1924) | La fanciulla del West | Libretto by Guelfo Civinini, Carlo Zangarini |
| Stuart Stratford | Conductor | ||
| Stephen Barlow | Director | ||
| Yannis Thavoris | Set Designer | ||
| Opera Holland Park Chorus | |||
| City of London Sinfonia | |||
| Susannah Glanville | Soprano | Minnie | |
| Jeffrey Gwaltney | Tenor | Dick Johnson | |
| Neal Cooper | Tenor | Nick | |
| Simon Thorpe | Baritone | Jack Rance | |
| Graeme Broadbent | Bass | Ashby | |
| Laura Woods | Mezzo-soprano | Wowkle | |
| Oliver Brignall | Tenor | Harry | |
| Edward Hughes | Tenor | Joe | |
| Michael Bradley | Tenor | The Pony Express Rider | |
| Jung Soo Yun | Tenor | Trin | |
| James Harrison | Baritone | Bello | |
| John Lofthouse | Baritone | Happy | |
| Peter Brathwaite | Baritone | Sid | |
| Nicholas Garrett | Baritone | Sonora | |
| Tom Stoddart | Bass | Billy Jackrabbit | |
| Simon Wilding | Bass | Jake Wallace | |
| Ian Beadle | Bass-baritone | Jake Wallace | 2014 Jun 19, 21 |
| Aidan Smith | Baritone | Jim Larkens | |
| Henry Grant Kerswell | Baritone | José Castro |
Publisher Casa Ricordi Milano Srl.
By arrangement with G.Ricordi & Co. (London). Ltd
First performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York on 10 December 1910
Libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlos Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
New production
Opera Holland Park last produced this opera ten years ago and in the intervening period, it has become revered as perhaps Puccini's most sophisticated and luxuriously scored creations. Composed especially for the Metropolitan Opera in 1910, Fanciullacalls upon many influences including Strauss and Debussy as well as original folk melodies. It has been variously described as the composer's magnum opus and, by Toscanini, as a "great symphonic poem".
The story of a group of gold miners, watched over and cared for by Minnie, is often perceived as having a 'happy ending'. But the tale is so much more sophisticated than that and the climax of the opera is of the most profoundly bittersweet variety. The music, however, is gloriously through composed, with moments of sheer majesty and emotional impact.
Supported by Opera Holland Park Friends Production Syndicate
Chorus generously supported by Mrs Angela Lascelles
Ticket sales begin online on Thursday 24 April 2014.
