Suor Angelica by Puccini was crafted a century ago and stands as a notable piece of artwork due to its emotional depth and poignant music. Native New Yorker, Helen Van Tine-Golden is set to direct her interpretation of this one-act opera Suor Angelica at Dickens Opera House. Van Tine-Golden describes Suor Angelica as a tiny gem of verismo opera. “Suor Angelica is an opera where the most glorious orchestra and melody are written in celebration of the female voice and psyche,” said Van Tine-Golden. In an exclusive interview, Van Tine-Golden sat down with us to discuss the highly anticipated Dinner Opera: Suor Angelica, taking time out of her busy schedule to share her insights.
Puccini's inspiration to write Suor Angelica came from his sister, who joined a convent. Puccini was a frequent visitor and benefactor of his sister's convent. “The impetus to all his operas was a play he saw, a story he read, or observations from the lives of people he encountered, that moved him deeply to compose operas that matched the emotional complexities he felt about the characters and their stories,” explains Van Tine-Golden. While the specifics of what Puccini witnessed at his sister’s convent remains unknown to this day, Suor Angelica held a special place in his heart among the three one-acts he wrote.
The story of Suor Angelica is very human. Van Tine-Golden says that the characters in Suor Angelica are too complex to be characterized as ‘good’ or ‘bad.“The backstory and motivations for Suor herself, the nuns, and the Principessa are inferred from what they say, how they act, and the color of the music. Just like in everyday life, we glean what we know -or think we know -about people by what the little things that they say and do stir up in us - good and bad.”
In the words of Puccini, “I told you that I always wanted to make people cry: that’s all. But do you think it is easy? We have to find a story that holds us with its poetry, it's love and suffering, and inspires us to the point that we can get an opera out of it.” Van Tine-Golden aims for her audience to fall in love with her production of Suor Angelica. “It's humanity and the celestial music.” She went on to say that she welcomes tears from her audience, “And, if you cried at the end, like Mr. Puccini wanted you to, all the better. Then take every opportunity they can to see and hear all of Mr. Puccini's works, as well as all the great operas, old and new.”