Composer: Giacomo Puccini, adapted by Vahan Salorian

Writer: Hannah Kumari

Director: PJ Harris

Produced by: Opera Up Close

Venue: The Arts Theatre Cambridge

Performance: 15^th March 2026

Bold, funny and vibrant – a refreshing take on a Puccini classic.

This is a very modern take on the one-act opera Gianni Schicchi. Rewritten by Hannah Kumari and relocated to the fictional English town of Harmouth, the score is rearranged by Vahan Salorian for a four-piece on-stage ensemble of actor-musicians, who blend seamlessly with the main cast.

The evening begins not with an overture but with a video podcast setting the scene using Shakespearean-style verse. I wasn’t entirely convinced by this framing device. The opera has already been rewritten in English and subtitles are projected, so the intro feels somewhat unnecessary – it runs a little too long and leaves the audience wondering when the opera itself will begin.

Once it does, however, the production does not disappoint. The music and cast are excellent, delivering beautiful vocals alongside confident acting and storytelling in this witty reinterpretation. The staging is clever – simple but effective, we understand the setting.

The curtain rises on a party in a smart garden with a swimming pool. We watch in astonishment as the wealthy host, Bruno Donaldson, suddenly hurtles into the water. His body is discovered by his ex-wife Claudia, who raises the alarm. Soon Bruno’s shocked relatives and friends gather, puzzled by how he could have drowned in his own pool. However, rumours quickly spread that his will may not favour them: Bruno is said to have left everything to his beloved football club. Greed takes hold, and the group decides to keep his death a secret while they search for the will and work out their next move.

Meanwhile, star-crossed lovers posh Roddie and lower class Lauretta dream of marrying on a beach in Thailand, but their plans are blocked by Zara and Claudia’s class snobbery. Their hope lies with Lauretta’s brother, the handsome but scheming Gianni Schicchi, a sharp-witted ‘chav’ summoned to help the family reclaim Bruno’s fortune. His plan is to impersonate Bruno and trick the solicitor into rewriting the will in the relatives’ favour. But what price will he demand for his services? And did Bruno really fall – or was he pushed?

There are several outstanding performances in this short opera. The music ranges from hilarious duets between Roddie (Aaron O’Hare) and Lauretta as they dream of their Thailand wedding, to Gianni’s sly plotting as his devious plan unfolds. Dan D’Souza plays a charismatic Gianni to perfection – suited, booted, and deliciously dangerous – warning the family that if their deception is discovered they will face heavy fines. Ceferina Penny, as Lauretta, sings the famous aria O Mio Babbino Caro beautifully and emotionally, pleading with her brother to help so she can marry Roddie and providing a truly operatic moment.

This is a thoroughly modern and enjoyable (if short) evening of opera. Puccini’s beautiful music, combined with a sharp and humorous story full of greedy schemers, is brought vividly to life by an excellent cast.

Photo credit: Rich Southgate