Suor Angelica (Sister Angelica) is an opera in one act by Giacomo Puccini to an original Italian libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is the second opera of the trio of operas known as Il trittico (Triptych). It received its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera on December 14, 1918.

Roles

Role	Voice type	Premiere Cast, 14 December 1918 (Conductor: Roberto Moranzoni)
Sister Angelica	soprano	Geraldine Farrar
The Princess, her aunt	contralto	Flora Perini
The Abbess	mezzo-soprano	Rita Fornia
The Monitress	mezzo-soprano	Marie Sundelius
The Mistress of the novices	mezzo-soprano	Cecil Arden
Sister Genovieffa	soprano	Mary Ellis
Sister Osmina	soprano	Margarete Belleri
Sister Dolcina	soprano	Marie Mattfeld
The nursing sister	mezzo-soprano	Leonora Sparkes
The alms sisters	sopranos	Kitty Beale and Minnie Egener
A novice	soprano	Phillis White
The lay sisters	soprano and mezzo-soprano	Marie Tiffany and Veni Warwick
Offstage chorus of women, children, and men

Synopsis

Geraldine Farrar as Suor Angelica and Flora Perini as the Zia Principessa in the 1918 world premiere of Suor Angelica

Place: A convent near Siena.

Time: The latter part of the 17th century.

The opera opens with scenes showing typical aspects of life in the convent — all the sisters sing hymns, the Monitor scolds two lay-sisters, everyone gathers for recreation in the courtyard. The sisters rejoice because, as the Mistress of Novices explains, this is the first of three evenings that occur each year when the setting sun strikes the fountain so as to turn its water golden. This event causes the sisters to remember Bianca Rosa, a sister who has died. Sister Genevieve suggests they pour some of the "golden" water onto her tomb.

The nuns discuss their desires. While the Monitor believes that any desire at all is wrong, Sister Genevieve confesses that she wishes to see lambs again because she used to be a shepherdess when she was a girl, and Sister Dolcina wishes for something good to eat. Sister Angelica claims to have no desires, but as soon as she says so, the nuns begin gossiping — Sister Angelica has lied, because her true desire is to hear from her wealthy, noble family, whom she has not heard from in seven years. Rumors are that she was sent to the convent in punishment.

The conversation is interrupted by the Infirmary Sister, who begs Sister Angelica to make an herbal remedy, her specialty. Two tourières arrive, bringing supplies to the convent, as well as news that a grand coach is waiting outside. Sister Angelica becomes nervous and upset, thinking rightly that someone in her family has come to visit her. The Abbess chastises Sister Angelica for her inappropriate excitement and announces the visitor, the Princess, Sister Angelica's aunt.

The Princess explains that Angelica's sister is to be married and that Angelica must sign a document renouncing her claim to her inheritance. Angelica replies that she has repented for her sin, but she cannot offer up everything in sacrifice to the Virgin — she cannot forget the memory of her illegitimate son, who was taken from her seven years ago. The Princess at first refuses to speak, but finally informs Sister Angelica that her son died of fever two years ago. Sister Angelica, devastated, signs the document and collapses in tears. The Princess leaves.

Sister Angelica is seized by a heavenly vision — she believes she hears her son calling for her to meet him in paradise. She makes a poison and drinks it, but realizes that in committing suicide, she has committed a mortal sin and has damned herself to eternal separation from her son. She begs the Virgin Mary for mercy and, as she dies, she sees a miracle: the Virgin Mary appears, along with Sister Angelica's son, who runs to embrace her.

Recordings

Year	Cast (Suor Angelica, The Princess, The Abbess, The Monitress, Sister Genovieffa)	Conductor, Opera House and Orchestra	Label
1957	Victoria de los Ángeles, Fedora Barbieri, Mina Doro, Lidia Marimpietri, Santa Chissari	Tullio Serafin, Orchestra and Chorus of the Rome Opera	Audio CD: Regis Cat: RRC 1306
1962	Renata Tebaldi, Giulietta Simionato, Lucia Danieli, Miti Trucato Pace, Dora Carral	Lamberto Gardelli, Orchestra e coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino	Audio CD: DECCA Cat: 411 665-2
1973	Katia Ricciarelli, Fiorenza Cossotto,	Bruno Bartoletti, Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra and Chorus	Audio CD: RCA Red Seal
1975	Renata Scotto, Marilyn Horne, Patricia Payne, Gillian Knight, Ileana Cotrubas	Lorin Maazel, New Philharmonia Orchestra	Audio CD: Sony Classical Cat: 88697527292
1978	Joan Sutherland, Christa Ludwig, Anne Collins, Elizabeth Connell, Isobel Buchanan	Richard Bonynge, National Philharmonic Orchestra	Audio CD: Decca Cat: 458218
1983	Rosalind Plowright, Dunja Vejzovic	Gianandrea Gavazzeni, Orchestra di La Scala, Milano	DVD: NVC Cat: 810903706
1987	Lucia Popp, Marjana Lipovšek	Giuseppe Patanè, Munich Radio Orchestra	Audio CD: Eurodisc Cat: 7806
1994	Mirella Freni, Elena Souliotis, Gloria Scalchi, Ewa Podleś, Barbara Frittoli	Bruno Bartoletti, Orchestra e coro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino	Audio CD: DECCA Cat: 436 261-2

Noted arias

• Senza mamma — Suor Angelica
• Nel silenzio — La Zia Principessa

References

Notes

1. ^ Wilson, p. 178
2. ^ Recordings of Suor Angelica on operadis-opera-discography.org.uk

Cited sources

• Wilson, Alexandra. The Puccini Problem. Cambridge University Press, 2007. ISBN 0-521-85688-4. 

Other sources

• Holden, Amanda (Ed.), The New Penguin Opera Guide, New York: Penguin Putnam, 2001. ISBN 0-14-029312-4
• Warrack, John and West, Ewan, The Oxford Dictionary of Opera New York: OUP: 1992 ISBN 0-19-869164-5