kenw: : Global Hit (2009-11-18)

RADIO

Global Hit

PRI’s The World presents the Global Hit, a daily spotlight on international musical artists or trends. Created by The World’s Marco Werman, the Global Hit features interviews with musicians, critics and deejays around the globe. by Marco Werman Piccolo Teatro Lirico

Italy has a new – short – twist on a centuries-old art form. A small, historic theater in Rome was having a hard time surviving when it turned to trills and arias to help keep it afloat: opera. But not the usual hours-long, mega-productions. Megan Williams visited the Piccolo Teatro Lirico in the city's historic center and has this report.

In a small theatre in Rome, the doomed Cavaradossi sings his final farewell to his beloved Tosca in Giacomo Puccini's popular opera. Unlike most opera, though, in this production, you can not only hear the anguish, but see it up close on the singers' faces.

The audience is up close, because the theater is so small. In fact — everything about the production is pocket-sized. Here at Rome's Piccolo Teatro Lirico they call it "opera in pillole."

Dustin: "Opera in pillole…How do you translate that? Encapsulated operas… done in miniature with wonderfully programmed keyboards and that way can fit big orchestra in small space."

Amalia Dustin is the mezzo-soprano who for the past two seasons has been singing the role of servant Suzuki in the other Puccini opera put on here. Madame Butterfly. An abridged Butterfly, that is. Shortened from almost four hours to less than two.

There's also no orchestra. The theatre, with less than 200 seats, is just too tiny to fit one in. It also can't afford it.

There is a conductor, though. One who carefully points her baton at the four young musicians keying away on synthesizers. They're supposed to replicate a 60-piece orchestra, though the results are pretty tinny.

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Ray Davies and The Crouch End Festival Chorus

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