I'd seen this production of 'La vida breve' about ten years ago and it remains, I think, the only opera sung in Spanish that I have ever been to. It's staged in a garment factory rather than a metalworks, but is still a cautionary tale based on the age old truism: it's the rich wot gets the pleasure, it's the poor wot gets the pain. Obviously feeling that the libretto doesn't sufficiently cover discrimination against Gyspies there is another such sub-plot acted out in mime. It's all very gory and rather excellent with moral clearly being that one woman at a time is sufficient. Let us all take note.
After the interval we heard 'Gianni Schicchi', Puccini's only comedy and despite knowing that fact I found myself surprised that it was rather funny. Based on a throwaway incident in 'The Divine Comedy' it deals with greed rather than the lust at the heart of Falla's work. I've actually seen the trickery employed by the eponymous lawyer used in action myself on more than one occasion, so as opera plots go, it's not that far fetched.
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