“Then enjoy the sun, if it is a sunny day. Enjoy the moon, if there is a moon. There is life even in death, also for you.” Rather than an orchestral overture, it is these sinister words sung by a male chorus that set the macabre tone of Umberto Giordano’s opera. After its premiere at Milan’s La Scala in 1903, the work was performed only a handful of times and remained relatively unknown until the end of the 20th century. In three heart-rending acts named “The Woman,” “The Lover,” and “The Heroine,” a poignant tale unfolds on the Florentine stage: the prince’s mistress Stephana falls in love with lieutenant Vassili and follows him to a labor camp where her plan to escape with her beloved leads to her own tragic fate…
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