Trial by Jury & Gianni Schicchi

The Pittsburgh Savoyards prepare to launch a new season of topsy-turvy fun with Giacomo Puccini’s opera Gianni Schicchi, followed by Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury. The production is set to run Oct. 7-9 and 13-16, 2016 at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall at 300 Beechwood Ave, Carnegie, Pa 15106. Longtime music director and conductor Guy Russo will lead the ensemble and orchestra, and stage director Jim Critchfield will bring both operas to life, giving them a fresh Pittsburgh-themed interpretation in honor of the city bicentennial. Both one-acts, the comic operas will be performed together each night as a double feature. The operas will also be performed in English and with supertitles projected above the stage accompanying the song lyrics each night.

Adult general admission tickets will be $25 each at the box office, with discounted admission available for children, students and seniors.  Those who order tickets by Oct.4  can take advantage of the special early bird discount. Local non-profit organizations have the opportunity to apply for limited blocks of free tickets to any of the performances. 

The company invites all attendees of the Oct 7th opening night performance to attend a free reception, located upstairs from the music hall and scheduled to immediately follow final curtain call. There, audience members can celebrate the show’s opening over food and wine with the cast, crew, orchestra, and administrative board.

Critchfield’s Pittsburgh-themed version of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi centers on the Donati family, who mourn the loss of their patriarch Buoso. Upon discovering that Buoso left his entire fortune to a monastery, the greedy family members hire title character Gianni Schicchi, a self-made man, to attempt to rewrite Buoso’s will by having Schicchi impersonate the dead man and trick the notary into signing the new will. A series of secret deals and ridiculous plans that lead to a twist provide the comedic element of the work.

Following Gianni Schicchi, Trial by Jury brings the audience to the court case of plaintiff Angelina and defendant Edwin. After breaking off his engagement with Angelina, the fickle-hearted Edwin tells the court he has fallen in love with another woman and eventually proposes to simply marry both women, a suggestion met by strong objection from Angelina. More issues ensue when the judge and the entire jury fall in love with Angelina, and in typical Gilbert-esque style, the situation resolves in a most nonsensical way.

The Pittsburgh Savoyards is a non-profit theatre group founded in 1938 whose mission is to honor and perpetuate the works of 19^th Century English composing duo W.S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan. Using funds raised from ticket sales, fundraising events, and donations from generous patrons, the Savoyards perform two Gilbert and Sullivan productions per year, one in fall and one in spring. The shows feature a mix of both amateur and professional performers mostly from the Greater Pittsburgh Area. In addition to the stage productions, the group organizes numerous community outreach projects to bring the rich heritage of Gilbert and Sullivan to people of all ages, emphasizing the timelessness of the duo’s whimsical tales and charmingly lighthearted music.