Magda, mistress to wealthy Rambaldo, wants romance with a younger man. She moves in with Ruggiero until his cash runs out.
Director: Brian Large
Conductor: Marco Armiliato
Stars: Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna, Lisette Oropesa, Marius Brenciu, Samuel Ramey.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1347918/
Premiere 1917
Place: Paris and the French Riviera.
Time: Mid-19th century.
This production places us in Art Deco/Nouveau settings, with almost-flapper women's clothing.
Since I'm a Puccini fan, thought I should have this. Saw it at Met on Demand, and liked it for the setting/sets/costumes and the stars. Gheorghiu & Alagna have been married since '96, although her IMDb trivia list 2007-11 as separation years. Their backstage interview did not give any hint about that, and their characters had to romance it up a lot. He even slapped her on the butt when she went out for her curtain call; she looked surprised.
I like Alagna a lot, but this is more of the soprano's opera. In fact, it's a lot like Traviata, without the fatal disease. The synopsis writer got it wrong: she doesn't leave him for $$, but it's related. (I also have Gheorghiu in Traviata, and gave that a good rating.)
Ramey has very, very little to do.
If I just listen, and don't look, this is another shrug-worthy composition for me, but Puccini's best is tough competition. The Met didn't run this since 1936.
MetOpera, cond. Armiliato; 8-
