The Teatro alla Scala is set to revive “La Rondine” for the first time since 1994. The work is one of Puccini’s least-performed operas but has become better appreciated over the years as multiple sopranos have taken interest in the piece. For its new production, the famed theater is bringing a cast of rising stars including Mariangela Sicilia.

The Italian soprano is a rising star in the opera world who has had leading roles at Sydney Opera House, Teatro Comunale in Bologna, Bolshoi Theatre, Deutsche Oper in Berlin, Teatro San Carlo, Royal Opera House in Muscat, and the Teatro Regio di Torino. Now with the Teatro alla Scala, Sicilia is making a big step in her career heightening her profile. In a recent interview with La Freccia, she said that singing at La Scala is a “dream come true” especially as her voice matures.

Over the last years, Sicilia has performed Puccini’s Mimì in “La Bohème” and Liù in “Turandot” to rave reviews and Magda will become her third Puccini. Critics have raved about her voice stating, that she is “a magnificent Mimì, who even allows herself the luxury of giving unusual, and henceforth unforgettable, prominence to certain neglected phrases.”

For those not in Milan for “La Rondine,” the opening night will be broadcast on the radio. She is also set to perform at the Arena di Verona and Teatro Comunale di Bologna.

Recordings 

For those interested in discovering more of Sicilia’s voice, the soprano has a recording of “Benvenuto Cellini” from the Dutch National Opera.

Here are clips from “Turandot,” “La Traviata,” and “Guillaume Tell.”