Puccini’s Il trittico is the perfect example of the composer’s mastery, with many of the opera’s melodies appearing in popular culture to this day. But, in Welsh National Opera’s five-star production, it’s not just the music that’s inspiring...
With seven full touring trucks needed to transport it, 40 members of our Tech team to manoeuvre it, and approximately one whole hour per show required to tackle the mammoth changes, it’s fair to say that the Il trittico set is in a class of its own. Let’s take a look behind the scenes to discover more.
After travelling approximately 400 miles from our co-production colleagues at Scottish Opera in Glasgow to our home at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff, our Tech team got to work building the set for the first time...and then dismantling and rebuilding it again and again.
Dan Saddington, Head of StageWe rehearsed the changes over and over and managed to halve our initial time by the first show...but during the intervals, we’re using every minute of that time. We’re up against the clock.
Below, our Tech team transform the set from Il tabarro to Suor Angelica. This is 30 minutes compressed into just 24 seconds.
At our home at Wales Millennium Centre, we’re lucky enough to have a backstage area that’s large enough to accommodate set changes of this size, but some of our touring venues are a lot smaller. To make sure this doesn’t affect our shows in any way, our Tech team work to the size of our smallest venue. Through marking out the square footage of the smallest venue, we can ensure that the show runs smoothly from venue to venue, and avoid any unexpected problems.
Jenni Price, Senior Stage ManagerIt needs to be a smooth operation with no mistakes. Other departments, like makeup, electrics, props – they can’t do what they need to do until the set is secure. They’re all relying on the set!
Out of Il trittico’s three sets, the set for the third and final one-act opera, Gianni Schicchi, is certainly an audience favourite. During our opening night this summer, audible gasps could be heard when the curtain rose and our audience first laid eyes on the cluttered, eccentric 1970s scene portrayed on stage.
Ensuring that the many props are all in the same place for each show requires good preparation and paperwork. With only minutes of the 40-minute interval remaining, our Tech team call out every single prop, like a register, and double-check that everything is placed correctly.
Want to experience these incredible sets for yourself? Don’t miss our acclaimed production of Il trittico returning to Wales Millennium Centre this month, or join us on tour to experience Suor Angelica & Gianni Schicchifrom October. Hopefully, when it’s time for the interval, you’ll now know all the antics that are happening behind the curtain.
