La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the West) is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Guelfo Civinini (it) and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by the American author David Belasco. Fanciulla followed Madama Butterfly, which was also based on a Belasco play. The opera has fewer of the show-stopping highlights that are characteristic of other Puccini works, but is admired for its impressive orchestration and for a score that is more melodically integrated than is typical of his previous work. Fanciulla displays influences from composers Claude Debussy and Richard Strauss, without being in any way imitative. Similarities between the libretto and the work of Richard Wagner have also been found, though some attribute this more to the original plot of the play, and have asserted that the opera remains quintessentially Italian.
Original Name | La fanciulla del West |
Librettist | Guelfo Civinini; Carlo Zangarini (based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by the American author David Belasco) |
Date of composition | 1910 |
Premiered | 1910, December 10th (Metropolitan Opera) in New York, NY, United States |
First published | 1910 |
Type | Opera |
Approx. duration | 140 minutes |
Spoken language | Italian |
Instruments |
Orchestra
Chorus/Choir - Mixed Chorus ; Voice (Soprano) - Minnie Voice (Baritone) - Jack Rance, sheriff Voice (Tenor) - Dick Johnson alias Ramerrez, bandit Voice (Tenor) - Nick, bartender at the Polka saloon Voice (Bass) - Ashby, Wells Fargo agent Voice (Baritone) - Sonora, miner Voice (Tenor) - Trin, miner Voice (Baritone) - Sid, miner Voice (Baritone) - Bello, miner Voice (Tenor) - Harry, miner Voice (Tenor) - Joe, miner Voice (Baritone) - Happy, miner Voice (Bass) - Jim Larkens, miner Voice (Bass) - Billy Jackrabbit, a Red Indian Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Wowkle, his squaw Voice (Baritone) - Jake Wallace, a traveling camp minstrel Voice (Bass) - José Castro, a mestizo "greaser", from Ramirez' band Voice (Tenor) - The Pony Express rider |
Autotranslations beta |
Giacomo Puccini: The Girl of the West Giacomo Puccini: The Girl of the West Giacomo Puccini: The Girl of the West |