The College of Charleston Opera will present a production of Francis Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine (“The Human Voice”), as well as Giacomo Puccini’s one-act comedy Gianni Schicchi.

Francis Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine (“The Human Voice”) is a one-act, one-woman storytelling of the John Cocteau play of the same name. Our heartbroken, weary, nameless “Elle” is deeply in love with Monsieur, who has left her for another woman after their five-year relationship. This opera’s interesting location- Elle’s bedroom- as well as the fact that we only hear her end of a phone call to Monsieur- draws the audience in to her increasingly darkening and intensifying world. Elle’s desperation is felt as we watch her self-medicate, and she eventually falls into a sleeping death.

Giacomo Puccini’s one-act comedy Gianni Schicchi is a family drama revolving around the death of old Buoso Donati. Relations come out of the woodwork to stake a claim at Buoso’s vast estate, which he has left to the monks of Santa Reparata. Gianni Schicchi is enlisted to pull the wool over the eyes of the will-reading notary, and in doing so, he manages to come away with the best of Buoso’s estate for himself! Despite Schicchi’s one moment of showing heart (he does allow the young lovers to marry, after all), he finishes the opera rich, but hated.

Although the two famous operas tell divergent stories, both will be told from the same, exciting, and well-known era of the 1980s. This production is directed by Saundra DeAthos with Amanda Castellone as the assistant director. Both operas will feature College of Charleston students with Wojciech Milewski serving as the Music Director and Conductor.

The performances will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, January 24 and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 26 at the Recital Hall in the Simons Center for the Arts, 54 Saint Philip St. Preshow lecture will take place one hour prior to each show. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $15 for College of Charleston students and 18 and under, available online or at the door. Please note that the operas contains adult subject matter.

The College of Charleston Opera is a program in the Department of Music in the College’s School of the Arts.