Tchaikovsky's Iolanta & Puccini's Gianni Schicchi
The Maryland Opera Studio presents a double bill of one-act operas by two of history’s most influential composers, Tchaikovsky and Puccini, in an evening that weaves together fairy-tale romance and satirical comedy. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s final opera, *Iolanta*, tells the story of a princess blind from birth who has been hidden from the world by her father and is unaware of her own blindness. Her life changes when a mysterious knight arrives in the magical rose garden she calls home, leading to a dreamlike lyric reflection on love, truth, and awakening. The second half of the evening shifts to Giacomo Puccini’s *Gianni Schicchi*, a witty comic opera inspired by the memorable medieval Italian families immortalized in Dante’s “Inferno.” The plot follows a family in mourning after the death of a wealthy relative, only to discover that the deceased has left everything to a monastery. Desperate, the family turns to the clever Gianni Schicchi to alter the will, setting off a satirical scramble in which everyone, including Schicchi, pursues their own agenda. Together, the two works explore the complexities of familial bonds and the human condition, offering contrasting moods from the tender and enchanted to the sharp and amusing.
*Iolanta* is performed in Russian and *Gianni Schicchi* in Italian, both with English supertitles. The production is led by conductor J. Bradley Baker and director Corinne Hayes, with the Maryland Opera Studio’s performers. This performance series takes place in the Kay Theatre at The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center, with reserved seating.
When: Friday, April 9, 2027; Sunday, April 11, 2027; Wednesday, April 14, 2027; and Saturday, April 17, 2027.
Showtimes: Friday, April 9 at 7:30 pm; Sunday, April 11 at 3:00 pm; Wednesday, April 14 at 7:30 pm; and Saturday, April 17 at 7:30 pm.
Tickets: Regular admission is $30 plus a $5 booking fee. Students and youth tickets are $10.
Venue: Kay Theatre, The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland. Seating is reserved.
Creative Team: J. Bradley Baker serves as conductor, and Corinne Hayes is the director. For *Iolanta*, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is the composer and Modest Tchaikovsky is the librettist. For *Gianni Schicchi*, Giacomo Puccini is the composer and Giovacchino Forzano is the librettist.
Languages: *Iolanta* will be performed in Russian with English supertitles; *Gianni Schicchi* will be performed in Italian with English supertitles.
Accessibility: The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center offers wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large print programs, assisted listening devices, adult and child-friendly sensory packs, and quiet spaces upon request for all events. ASL interpretation, audio description, and captioning are available for select events or by patron request at least six weeks in advance.
About the Presenter: The Maryland Opera Studio is dedicated to the future of opera, preparing the next generation of singers and presenting performances that range from classic repertoire to contemporary new works, with the goal of building and sustaining audiences for the art form.