That is what Woody Allen said about directing his first opera, Gianni Schicchi.  The third of Puccini’s Il Trittico trilogy produced by LA Opera.  Just came back from seeing it and it was HILARIOUS!!!   My cousin, Jennifer –who came to see it with me– is not a huge opera fan but she was just totally loving it to pieces.  Imagine this— The Sopranos, Edward Gorey and all of Mulberry Street tossing the dead uncle’s corpse out on the fire escape while pilfering his furniture.  Oh, and the dead uncle impersonator (who actually has to become a –dying uncle impersonator– ends up rearranging all the financial designations–slanting in favor of himself, daughter and future son-in-law (in desperate need of duckets to secure their marriage vows) before giving the finger to the blind notary and getting stabbed to death by the pilfering matriarch.  And, yes, its easier to follow than I’m making it sound.  In fact, there’s actually a simplicity to it.  Even the opening credits –white words on black screen with soundtrack– were just so rickety retro and then add Santo Loquasto’s black and white photo family album come to life thing. There’s gotta be more of this.  I mean, having really iconic film directors come in to do this kind of this—-why isn’t it happening all the time???  Granted, not every director would want take on Dante’s Canto XIII (where this trickster character originates) but not every director out there is being offered the opportunity to push the outside edge of the envelope in this matter.  Which of course, also means kudos to Placido Domingo for having the balls to initiate this sorta interface. I’d like to see Spike Jonze do an opera or James Cameron or Spielberg or Jason Reitman, even.  Not all of them are even top of their form, yet.  They would, however, have a signature style to bring to the table.  for this sorta thing.  Because what made the experience so utterly splendid for me, was that it was an interpolation drenched in clarity.  Photos courtesy of LA Opera.