Before there were Westerns, Puccini wrote one — as an opera. Opera Columbus presents “La Fanciulla del West” (February 26 & 28, 2027) at the historic Southern Theatre, Puccini’s sweeping tale of Minnie, the saloon-keeping heroine of the California Gold Rush, and the bandit she loves.
Premiered at the Met in 1910 with Toscanini conducting, “Fanciulla” glows with some of Puccini’s most cinematic music — and its strong, gun-toting heroine remains one of opera’s great portraits. The intimate Southern Theatre, Columbus’ oldest surviving theatre (1896), puts every note within arm’s reach.
It’s the centerpiece of Opera Columbus’ “American Icons” season: the Old West, sung in Italian, in a jewel-box theatre.
Saddle up, Columbus. This is opera with spurs on.
