The HOT Take from the Santa Fe Opera Festival – Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West

The Girl of the Golden West is not the most successful of Puccini’s operas. The “big tunes” are few and far between, and one recurring theme was heavily plagiarized by Andrew Llyod Webber for his Phantom of the Opera. (Try getting that tune out of your head after you hear it!). Set in a mining town in California during the gold rush, the cast is predominantly male, which gives Puccini less opportunity for the beautiful melodies for which his other operas are so famous.

The Polka Saloon

The Polka Saloon

The Santa Fe production, directed by Richard Jones, with sets by Miriam Buether, takes place in small rooms – the Polka Saloon and Minnie’s cabin – leaving the action feeling a little cramped.  This has the effect of focusing the attention on the very human aspects of the drama, notably the budding relationship between Minnie and Dick.

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Minnie’s Cabin

Minnie’s obsessive love for Dick Johnson, aka the bandit Leader Ramirrez, was strongly portrayed by Patricia Racette.  Hers is a bold and confident Minnie, who is determined to get her man in the end.  As Dick Johnson, Gwyn Hughes Jones brought passionate lyricism to the role, especially his third act aria “Ch’ella mi creda” where he pleads to his would-be lynchers not to tell Minnie that he has died.  The large supporting cast of miners were led by Mark Delavan (Jack Rance), Raymond Aceto (Ashby) and Craig Verm (Sonora).  Emmanuel Villaume, Music Director of Dallas Opera, conducted at a flowing pace.