Two nights at the opera: Celebrating 100 years of Giacomo Puccini

The Manila Symphony Orchestra hosts a centennial tribute to one of Italy’s greatest composers

In honor of the 100th death anniversary of Giacomo Puccini, the Manila Symphony Orchestra struck a beautiful chord last 16 and 17 March 2024, with a staging of two of the Italian composer’s most successful operas at the Hyundai Hall of Areté. The double bill performance was a captivating medley of Puccini’s Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi from the late composer’s Il Trittico collection of one-act operas. It was a journey that took the audience from a moving portrayal of tragedy and religious redemption to a light-hearted yet intellectual comedy of errors.
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Under the skilled, directive hands of Maestro Marlon Chen, the Manila Symphony Orchestra kicked off the evening with a strong, commanding rendition of the Philippine national anthem before Italian Ambassador to the Philippines, Marco Clemente, took the stage. It was an inspired opening as he shared a message of gratitude from the Director of the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago to the MSO in their efforts to commemorate the legacy of Puccini and to revitalize the classical art of opera in the Philippines. ​

Suor Angelica​

With each lingering note, the MSO captured the solemnity and poignant brilliance of Suor Angelica as every cast member brought their own impressive voice and vitality to their characters. The hauntingly incredible performance of award-winning soprano, Rachelle Gerodias, was second to none in her passionate portrayal of longing, pain, grief, and final deliverance as a mother banished to a convent in punishment - forcing her to abandon her child for the next seven years. As the opera piece that Puccini has famously claimed to be his favorite out of the trilogy, the grand standing ovation delivered by the audience was a clear indication that many would go home with the same sentiments.

Gianni Schicchi​

Weaving a tale of retribution through comedic banter between classical vocalists is no easy feat for an opera but the MSO certainly did justice to Puccini’s interpretation of an excerpt from the famed Dante’s Divine Comedy. Cast members clearly had their individual moments of stardom - showcasing their remarkable talent one after the other and solidifying their presence as indispensable to the success of the performance. They laid exceptional groundwork for the powerful entrance of international baritone, Byeong-In Park, who sealed his mark of classical mastery as the manipulatively clever con-artist, Gianni Schicchi, himself.​

The production design and set structure of Hyundai Hall was deceptively simple but quietly shifted and adjusted with fluidity between acts to perfection - taking nothing away from the main performances and lending the exact amount of support needed to highlight each poignant scene. The construct of floating subtitles to match every sung Italian verse ensured that the audience could meaningfully follow along with the context of the opera.​

“Puccini at 100: Double Bill Opera at Areté” was one of a series of fundraising events to support the Manila Symphony Orchestra Foundation as they continue to breathe life into local classical music and excellence. Areté is a proud sponsor of the efforts to sustain the immense cultural value that the MSO represents to the artistic community in the Philippines. As Ambassador Clemente emphasized in his opening remarks, “Do not underestimate the value of opera in your lives. The streetcar is leaving and if we miss it, it won’t come back. We must promote opera to the next generation, your artists deserve that.”
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To learn more about the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s mission to inspire the next generation through the power of music and to support their succeeding performances, please visit https://www.manilasymphony.com/the-mso-2024-2025-concert-series/