Gian Carlo Menotti Movies
- 1986
- Add La Bohème (Genoa Opera Company) to QueueAdd La Bohème (Genoa Opera Company) to top of Queue
Tenor Luciano Pavarotti provides his singular talents to this production of La Boheme performed by the Genoa Opera Company in China. Pavarotti became famous after he appeared in this same role in 1961. He has sung in such other operas as Daughter of the Regiment and Elixir of Love. As viewers will discover, La Boheme is the story of a poet named Rodolfo who falls in love with a seamstress, Mimi. The opera is performed in Italian with English subtitles. First produced in 1896 with music by Giacomo Puccini, the story is based on a novel written by Henri Murger. ~ Elizabeth Smith, All Movie Guide
Puccini's Manon Lescaut opens at an inn in Amiens, where a group of poor students are reveling. One of these, Des Grieux, tells another, Edmondo, that he is impervious to the temptation of love. Soon after, a beautiful young girl, Manon, arrives with her brother, Lescaut and an older tax collector, Geronte, all of whom have been traveling by coach. At her father's insistence, Manon is on her way to a convent; however, Geronte is planning to steal her away and force her to be his mistress. Des Grieux and Manon meet and fall in love with each other. Learning of Geronte's plans, Des Grieux convinces Manon to elope with him. Geronte and Lescaut hatch a plot to steal Manon away from Des Grieux, which succeeds. After some time, however, Manon grows discontented with being Geronte's mistress. Des Grieux makes a surprise visit and wins Manon back. To get revenge, Geronte has the police deport Manon, who attempted to leave with some of the old man's jewels. She is jailed, awaiting deportation to Louisiana, and a plan to help her escape fails. Des Grieux begs to be allowed to join her on board the ship bound for America, even if he must serve as a cabin boy. In New Orleans, the poor lovers cannot find a means of supporting themselves. They wander aimlessly, until Manon, exhausted and broken, dies in Des Grieux's embrace. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, (more)
- 1978
Written by Gian-Carlo Menotti in 1951, Amahl and the Night Visitors has the distinction of being the first opera written for television. A Christmas favorite, the story deals with Amahl, a young peasant shepherd boy who can only walk with the aid of a staff. As the opera opens, Amahl is very excited. He has seen a truly strange and wondrous star outside, one with a long tail the likes of which he has never seen. His Mother, knowing that he likes to make things up, grows angry with him and dismisses his news. Soon there is a knock at the door. When the Mother opens it, she is astonished to find three kings. They tell her that they are in search of a very special king and show Amahl and his Mother the gifts they bring. The Mother leaves to alert the neighbors to the king's presence, and they return with gifts for the three sovereigns. Later that night, the Mother gives in to temptation and tries to take some of the kings' gold for her and Amahl. She is frightened when the kings catch her; however, they do not punish her, explaining that the one they are seeking does not need gold, they he will establish a kingdom based upon love. The Mother gives the gold back, and Amahl, moved by what he has heard, asks the kings to take his staff as a gift for the new king. As he does so, Amahl discovers that his selflessness has resulted in a miracle -- he can now walk. As the opera ends, he goes with the kings to give thanks and praise to the one who has brought this miracle about. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
This performance of Gian-Carlo Menotti's musical drama The Consul was produced by Jean Dalrymple in 1960. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Neway
Filmed opera can be deadly if not done right; fortunately, The Medium is in the loving and capable directorial hands of the man who wrote the piece, Gian-Carlo Menotti. Slightly expanded from the one-act stage version, this is the story of fraudulent medium Marie Powers, whose mute and crippled son Leo Coleman helps to fleece her customers. During one seance, Powers feels a hand clutching her throat. She assumes it is her put-upon son who is responsible. Tossed out in a driving rain, Coleman returns to visit his sweetheart Anna Maria Alberghetti (another of the medium's beleaguered assistants). His mother, assuming that her house has been invaded by burglars, kills the boy. Whether or not her punishment is Divine Intervention is left for the viewer to ponder. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie Powers, Anna Maria Alberghetti, (more)
