Puccini’s ‘La rondine’ (The Swallow)’ was first performed at the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on 27 Match 1917. It was most recently performed at the Palais Theatre, St Kilda, Australia on 8 August 2024.
The ‘La rondine’ (The Swallow)’ story is over 100 years old. What Victorian Opera does so well is to bring their stories into the modern era. The stage encapsulated the plot, the costumes make it about now and with Victorian Opera’s contemporary adaptation of the classics, they successful attract a younger audience to the shows and in doing so brings a new generation to the theatre.
‘La rondine (The Swallow) is an ageless story. The Swallow (Magna) is a Courtesan (a prostitute for upper class clients) who gets her palm read by a poet at a party. Her dream is to fall in love which happens but Puccini is known for his twists and turns. This is a story love and tragedy. It is the unbridled romance that is destined not to be.
Conductor Tobias Ringborg says he got to know ‘La rondine (The Swallow) as a child. He calls his work on the production “an adventure”.
International opera Won Whi Choi is an excellent choice as Ruggero, who falls in love with Magda and so the tragedy begins. The South Korean tenor has performed around the world including working for the Metropolitan Opera in New York.
Australian soprano Kindra Howarth as Magda trained at the Royal Opera House in London between 2012 and 2015. She has also performed worldwide in Tokyo, Bern, London and well as in Northern Ireland and China.
‘La Rondine (The Swallow)’ is one of Puccini’s lesser known works. ‘La bohème’, ‘Madama Butterfly’ and ‘Tosca’ have always been considered Puccini’s Greatest Hits. ‘La rondine (The Swallow)’ came late in his career (1917), 21 years after ‘La bohème’ and 33 years after the debut of his first opera ‘Le Villi’.
A chain smoker, Puccini died in Brussels in 1924 from cancer, just seven years after the premiere of ‘La rondine (The Swallow)’.
‘La rondine (The Swallow)’ is being performed for just three nights at The Palais Theatre in Melbourne’s St Kilda from 8 to 10 August 2024.
‘La rondine (The Swallow)’ photo gallery by Charlie Kinross (supplied by Victorian Opera)
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