Il Postino (opera)

Il Postino
Opera by Daniel Catán
DVD cover of the premiere performance of Il Postino
LibrettistDaniel Catán
LanguageSpanish
Based onArdiente paciencia by Antonio Skármeta and the film Il Postino by Michael Radford
Premiere
23 September 2010 (2010-09-23)

Il Postino is an opera in three acts by Daniel Catán with a Spanish libretto by the composer. Based on the novel Ardiente paciencia by Antonio Skármeta and the film Il Postino by Michael Radford, the work contains elements of drama and comedy, integrating themes of love and friendship along with political and spiritual conflict.[1] The opera premiered at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion by Los Angeles Opera on 23 September 2010.[2]

Set on a small Italian island, exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda receives so much fan mail that a personal postman, Mario Ruoppolo, is hired to deliver his letters. Mario, smitten by Beatrice Russo, turns to Pablo for help writing poetry that would help him win the heart of the woman he longs for. Soon after, Mario and the barmaid fall in love and wed. In the third act, influenced by Pablo's works, Mario begins writing political poems and while reciting at a communist demonstration, violence breaks out and he receives a gunshot wound, killing him.[3]

Il Postino was commissioned by Los Angeles Opera who co-produced the premiere production with the Theater an der Wien in Vienna and Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris.[4] Daniel Catán wrote the role of Pablo Neruda for Plácido Domingo, who sang it at the Los Angeles premiere and in subsequent performances in Vienna and Paris.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ "Il Postino". Opera Saratoga. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Il Postino – North American Works Directory". Opera America. Archived from the original on 7 May 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  3. ^ "Il Postino Synopsis – Center City Opera Theater". www.operatheater.org. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ "Great Performances: Il Postino from LA". PBS. 24 November 2011. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  5. ^ Swed, Mark (24 September 2010). "Opera review: L.A. Opera premieres 'Il Postino'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  6. ^ Olivier, Ellen (21 June 2011). "Dispatch From Paris: 'Il Postino' opens with Placido Domingo and memories of Daniel Catan". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  7. ^ Loomis, George (15 December 2010). "Pablo Neruda and His Mailman, This Time Sung". The International Herald Tribune. Retrieved 6 October 2016.