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A Note from the Conductor

by Rob Berman

I first met Adam Guettel and was introduced to his music in 1999, when I conducted a regional co-production of Floyd Collins, the first production of that show after its New York off-Broadway debut. From that point until now, I remain awestruck by the singular brilliance of his musical mind. I so admired The Light in the Piazza when I saw it on Broadway in 2005. Years later, I was fortunate to conduct a revival for Encores! at New York City Center.

In his scores, Adam chooses unexpected and far-reaching harmonies that constantly shift under soaring vocal lines. Adam’s love of singing and its potential to express is evident in every measure of music. His compositional style stands alone in the landscape of contemporary theater; it bends standard genres and melds divergent techniques. In The Light in the Piazza, the story’s setting and theme inspire lush, long lines, but there is also intricate rhythmic propulsion throughout. Adam himself describes the show as having, in a way, a “pop” score, thanks to the rhythmic grooves that underpin the lyricism and harmonic adventurousness.

The interlocking orchestration requires great precision and sensitivity, and the singing demands classical technique blended with contemporary theater style. The music looks complex on the page, but when performed, sounds inevitable. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that The Light in the Piazza is, thus far, the crowning achievement of 21st century musical theater composition. I couldn’t be more thrilled to conduct this production at Opera Theatre and to have the chance to revisit this incredible score.

A Note from the Director

by Crystal Manich

Faith in The Light in the Piazza

At its heart, The Light in the Piazza is a meditation on love, risk, and faith. It asks what it means to protect those we love, and what it costs to trust them, and ourselves, enough to let go. In Florence, a city shaped by beauty and history, desire and restraint collide, revealing that love often demands belief without certainty, arriving not with clarity, but with consequence.

What makes The Light in the Piazza a lasting work of American musical theater is its exploration of love beyond language. Margaret is consumed by concern over Clara’s intellectual disability, viewing the world and her daughter’s future through fear and caution. Fabrizio, however, sees Clara not as someone defined by limitation, but as a woman of honesty, openness, and emotional clarity, unburdened by conventional social expectations. His love raises a central question of the musical: is this devotion merely an act of faith, or does it arise from something deeper and instinctual? For Clara, Fabrizio brings focus and possibility to what once felt unreachable; he is the light she finds in the piazza.

Margaret’s greatest struggle is her instinct to protect at all costs. She assumes that Clara could never experience true love and that her role as a mother is to shield her daughter from inevitable harm. This belief begins to unravel through Margaret’s connection with Fabrizio’s father, Signor Naccarelli. Untroubled by his son’s certainty, Naccarelli’s quiet confidence unsettles Margaret’s worldview. As she is drawn to him, Margaret experiences a rare moment of vulnerability and connection. It is something that has been long absent from her marriage. Whether or not the kiss they share is love, it awakens her to a truth she has been denying: love cannot exist without risk. This realization allows Margaret to begin letting go of her grip on Clara’s future. Where her love once relied on secrecy and silence, she comes to understand that honesty and authenticity offer her daughter the possibility of joy.

To love is to take a leap of faith. Margaret risks losing her daughter and the identity she has built around protecting her. Clara risks heartbreak. Fabrizio risks a conventional life. Florence becomes the meeting place of past and present, restraint and desire; a city alive with openness and possibility. In this production, a landscape of moving columns and arches reflects that fluidity, reminding us that in Florence, magic is possible, and dreams, once imagined, may come true.

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Leadership support for The Light in the Piazza comes from the Steward Family Foundation.

The Light in the Piazza is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals.
Produced by arrangement with Turner Entertainment Co.
Owner of the original motion picture “Light In The Piazza.”
Based on the novel by Elizabeth Spencer.