Les Grooms continue their work on the relationship between music and theatrical presence with an eclectic repertoire that focuses on the gap between formal and popular music, turning this time to Giacomo Puccini and his opera in one act, Gianni Schicchi.

This was the third of three pieces, together with Il tabarro and Suor Angelica, created at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in December 1918. The opera was a big hit in the USA and Europe, and was well received by critics who saw it as nothing less than a new Falstaff. Based on a story from Dante’s Divine Comedy, the libretto tells the story of the death of old Buoso Donati in Florence in the 18^th century, and Gianni Schicchi’s role. Commissioned by the family to appropriate the inheritance bequeathed to the church, he takes the opportunity to take all the property for himself.

Les Grooms do a quick jump through time to compare the story of old Donati with the recent to-do around Johnny Hallyday’s inheritance, brimming over with jealousy, family relationships, love, hate, the press and the media… Gianni Skicki remains to be discovered, but we can be sure that this new street opera will be full of frivolous and preposterous surprises for another moment of musical celebration with a brass band.