Puccini: Il tabarro

The first panel in Puccini's Il trittico (Triptych), Il tabarro sees the composer distil the aesthetic of verismo opera into an hour-long drama of almost shocking realism, with music that showcases not only the composer's famous gift for memorable melody but also his skill at conveying a particular atmosphere – in this case the thankless world of barge-workers on the banks of the Seine in Paris. This production from the Teatro del Maggio Musicale concentrates on story-telling – things end badly after Giorgetta, the wife of the barge owner Michele, falls for the handsome stevedore Luigi – and features a fine cast of Italian principals, allowing the power of Puccini's work to register to its full, shattering effect.