Considered one of the great interpreters of the title role of Tosca, she recently performed the role with several different opera houses, including Opera Carolina, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Arizona Opera, Lyric Opera Baltimore, Toledo Opera, Piedmont Opera, Mill City Summer Opera, and Boston Lyric Opera in her role début. Gardner is consistently hailed for her portrayals of the leading ladies of the verismo repertoire and Puccini heroines alike. Learn about the community event programming surrounding Suor Angelica and Cavalleria RusticanaĪmerican soprano Jill Gardner sits among today’s leading operatic heroines. Cavalleria Rusticana stars soprano Jill Gardner as Santuzza, tenor Brian Cheney as Turridu, baritone Corey Crider as Alfio, and contralto Lauren Decker as Mama Lucia.

Suor Angelica stars soprano Jill Gardner as Angelica and contralto Lauren Decker as the Principessa. Both of these one-act operas end in tragedy and are conducted by Maestro Geoffrey McDonald and staged by director Keturah Stickann. Mascagni’s work is set in a 19 th century Sicilian village. Also dealing with societal and religious repression, Cavalleria Rusticana centers around the tempestuous relationship between villagers Santuzza, Turridu, Lola, and Alfio. Set in a convent in 17 th century Italy, Suor Angelica deals with the hardship and social constructs placed on women who do not conform to the rules of society and religion on their everyday lives.

Not seen by Toledo Opera audiences since 1982, Puccini’s Suor Angelica makes its triumphant return to the Valentine stage this fall paired with Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana. Suor Angelica/Cavalleria Rusticana October 14 & 16, 2022

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