Gianni Schicchi
Selections from the Opera

As the third selection of Puccini's opera trilogy (Il trittico) it premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1918 to great acclaim. It's a comic opera in one act to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, based on an incident mentioned in Dante's Divine Comedy. The story of the opera is derived from a passage in the 30th canto of Inferno, which mentions Gianni Schicchi?who was an actual Florentine?as having been consigned to the eighth circle of hell with other forgers and cheats for disguising himself as Buoso Donati, a recently deceased Florentine aristocrat, in order to obtain Donati's wealth for himself.
"Povero Buoso!" "Firenze - come un albero fiorito" "O mio babbino caro" "Era eguale la voce?" "Ecco la cappellina" "Ladro, ladro, furfante!" are performed respectively. The final part was created by the arranger, and except for some cuts and linking of some parts, the original work is well-reflected in this wind band setting.