The first opera to have its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera, The Girl of the Golden West confused audiences and critics in 1910. It had a different shape from Butterfly and Tosca, it seemed to lack arias, and Puccini was trying to create a new musical style for the twentieth century.
In this lecture, Ian Campbell will discuss the impact of the libretto and its historical background, as the California gold miners of 1849 come to America from all corners of the world seeking their fortunes. Minnie, the beautiful, chaste owner of the Polka Saloon, is courted by lonely miners, the sheriff, and a Mexican bandit. She finds love with her first kiss but must save her chosen man from a lynch mob. Is it the first “spaghetti western”, an “American opera”, an “Italian opera” set in America, or a story of love, hope and moral redemption?