Running at just one hour, Puccini’s one-act opera Suor Angelica may not be his lengthiest, but that doesn’t mean it packs any less of an emotional punch. Antonio Pappano led the London Symphony Orchestra through this potent tale of love, loss, faith and betrayal with the orchestra’s signature polished sound combined with a deep, raw passion in what was a stirring concert performance. Each of the opera’s all-female cast was individually stunning. Some stand-out performances included Sarah Dufrense who sang the role of Suor Genovieffa with assured poise, and Ukrainian mezzo Kseniia Nikolaieva, who dazzled as Suor Angelica’s malevolent aunt, clearly relishing the role of the ‘baddie’. But it was soprano Carolina López Moreno in the titular role who truly gave this performance its magic, bringing Angelica’s grief and love for her estranged son into painful, poignant focus.

The concert began with ‘Capriccio Sinfonico’, a piece written for Puccini’s graduation ceremony from the Milan Conservatory, followed by Victor de Sabata’s ‘Juventus’. Both these works were perfectly pleasant, but sometimes less is more, and any performance of Suor Angelica, this one especially, is worthy of standing alone. 

London Symphony Orchestra: Puccini’s Suor Angelica reviewed at Usher Hall; main picture: Mark Allan.