The plot is accompanied by a lavishly designed graphic novel created by stage and costume designer Kristīne Jurjāne. In his version, the singers are embedded in a psychologically rich narrative. The production by Latvian theatre director Alvis Hermanis moves the action to 1900, the year of the opera’s premiere. Against this backdrop, Puccini’s music transports listeners to the heart of Rome: to the Sant’Andrea della Valle church, the Palazzo Farnese and the Castel Sant’Angelo, each of which is given a distinctive tonal colouring. The story is set in 1800 during the clashes between Napoleon’s Revolutionary Army and the Habsburg and papal troops, events that hang fatefully over the characters in the opera.
With compelling dramaturgy and pronounced realism, Puccini created one of his tersest and most dramatic works – a milestone in the history of opera.
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