In unsurprising news, I really like Puccini; I mean, what opera lover doesn’t? Having already seen seven of his operas, I’m always on the lookout for any I haven’t seen. So, when I saw that Houston was performing Il trittico, I immediately bought a ticket. However, when I shared with a friend that I was seeing a “rarely performed Puccini opera,” she very reasonably asked why it was so rarely performed. Well, after seeing this production, I think I have an answer?
The opera is actually three one-act operas (hence the name). Each one is interesting.
Act 1: Il tabarro was my least favorite. Despite a classic Puccini “feel” in terms of a tragic romantic triangle, the shortness of it only being one act really worked against the topic. The whole thing felt extremely rushed, but soprano Corinne Winters shined in the first of her three leading soprano roles. The costumes were a bit timeless, but (as is my style), I would have preferred a true 1910 setting.
Act 2: MAJOR TONAL SHIFT from romantic tragedy to nuns. The music heated up in Suor Angelica, with the all-female cast crushing the vocals. The sweetness of sound and the setting (in a nunnery) reminded me of another personal favorite, Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmelites. The entire act was so sincere with stellar performances, including by mezzo Jamie Barton as the heartless Princess. My only nit is that I would have loved for it to be a bit longer.
Act 3: MAJOR TONAL SHIFT from religious tragedy to comedy(?). There’s a reason this one is famous, and that reason is “O mio babbino caro,” arguably the most recognizable arias in opera. It’s funny because the song is so delicate and yearning, but the opera is slapstick comedy at its finest. The real winners here were bass-baritone Ryan McKinny in the title role (rapidly becoming one of my favorites after seeing him in San Francisco for Dead Man Walking) and set designer Allen Moyer. The geometric painted walls combined with the acting and costumes for a truly bright event.
In summary, I really enjoyed it, especially the last two acts. My personal belief is that it is rarely performed because producing three different operas (with different costumes, sets, etc.) is expensive. Since Gianni Schicchi is the most famous, it can be paired with other items (traditionally Pagliacci, which is also quite short). Also, the tonal shifts from act to act are truly quite jarring, despite each being lovely.
Opera: Il trittico
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Venue: Houston Grand Opera
Date: November 8, 2025
Link: https://www.houstongrandopera.org/on-stage/il-trittico
Opera Nerd 
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