Barton & McKinny Take on Multiple Roles in Puccini Triptych • October 2025
Houston, Texas
Ryan McKinny and Jamie Barton in Il trittico (Gianni Schicchi) at Houston Grand Opera / photo by Lynn Lane
In a new production of Puccini’s rarely performed triptych, Il trittico, Houston Grand Opera favorites Jamie Barton and Ryan McKinny make multiple role debuts across the three one-act operas. McKinny tackles the brooding Michele in Il tabarro and the wily title role in Gianni Schicchi, while Barton takes on all three operas as loveable cat-lady Frugula in Il tabarro, the formidable Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica, and finally the comedic delight Zita in Gianni Schicchi.
James Robinson directs the company’s first-ever full presentation of the trio of operas, with Patrick Summers in the pit for his final season as Music Director of HGO.
Critical Acclaim
Jamie Barton in Il trittico (Suor Angelica) at Houston Grand Opera / photo by Lynn Lane
“HGO complemented with company favorites Ryan McKinny and Jamie Barton—each of whom has delivered an array of vibrant performances in operas old and new. Drawing on the commanding black tones that were so potent when he played John the Baptist in Strauss’ Salome in 2023, McKinny made the brooding Michele as ominous as he was taciturn. And after Michele realized that his wife, Giorgetta, indeed had a lover, McKinny built his climactic monologue—’Nulla! Silenzio’—to a thunderous climax. He returned to the stage as Schicchi, summoned by the family to figure out how they can get their hands on the dearly departed’s fortune. McKinny could hardly have cut a more different figure than in Tabarro. His Schicchi was animated and voluble, exuding wiliness with every word. Once in a while, though, McKinny let loose his voice boom, all for boisterous effect.
Playing the scavenger Frugola, Giorgetta’s pal, Barton revealed a gift for bubbly joviality rarely glimpsed in previous HGO roles. As Barton’s smiling Frugola chattered about her beloved cat and her hopes for a peaceful home with her husband, flashes of her voice’s familiar heft peeked through, though. Playing Angelica’s aunt, the Princess, Barton exuded hard-heartedness. Her demeanor was aloof and imperious, her voice full-throated but devoid of warmth. Yet Barton also let loose with a lyrical outpouring when the Princess described her visions of communicating with Angelica’s late mother. Among the members of the money-hungry clan, Barton was a picture of comic conniving as Zita.”
–Texas Classical Review
“Il Trittico is a triumph in every sense, a production that combines vocal brilliance, dramatic intensity, and visual splendor. McKinny and Chacón-Cruz bring their own blend of charisma and skill to the stage. McKinny continues to demonstrate the breadth of his artistry, confirming Houston audiences' admiration for the versatile performer. Both men leave a lasting impression, and Barton and McKinny bring Puccini's characters vividly to life.
The ultimate standout is none other than Jamie Barton. An alumnus of HGO's prestigious Butler Studio, Barton has long established herself as an internationally acclaimed mezzo, celebrated for her commanding voice and emotional depth. Yet what truly sets her apart in Il Trittico is not only the sheer beauty and power of her instrument but her remarkable ability to disappear completely into each of her characters. She doesn't simply perform them, she embodies them, infusing every phrase with lived-in feeling and psychological nuance. Barton's innate dramatic instincts and vocal mastery make her performances among the most compelling currently gracing a Houston stage, a seamless blend of technical excellence and raw, human storytelling that lingers long after the final curtain.”
–Broadway World
“In Il tabarro, McKinny is a brooding force, stalwart and thick. He realizes he has lost his wife, but pines for her still. Remembering happier times past, he softly remembers how it used to be with Giorgetta, then grows despondent and impatient, then violent. His deep baritone conveys every conflict within him. McKinny makes the most of Gianni with his cigar and beat-up fedora. He’s a wise wise-ass for sure, booming his clever plot while knowing full well the dastardly intentions of the family. His Schicchi is a wonderful characterization, good hearted and suffused with devil-may-care.
Barton is a magnificent harpy, cold and frozen as Lake Cocytus in the Inferno. In her black peplum outfit, with glittery pin and up-swept hairdo, she has the look of a bored Park Avenue matron. She nonchalantly smokes a cigarette as she delivers her news. She could be the evil stepmother in a gothic horror, dripping attitude and bereft of any familial feeling. She’s chilling…and delicious. Barton has a field day as battleaxe Zita, sashaying about like a Fellini cartoon.”
–Houston Press
“Equally impressive was the cast of singers, many of whom took on multiple roles between the three stories. McKinny's dark and vibrant bass-baritone might seem suited only to sinister or serious characters, but he was equally convincing in the night-and-day opposites he played: the brooding and then violently jealous husband (Michele) in ‘Tabarro’; and the confident, quick-thinking trickster (‘Gianni Schicchi’).
Barton sang in each of the operas and did so magnificently as the earthy wife of a stevedore, Frugola (Tabarro), the icily aristocratic Principessa (Suor Angelica), and the grasping but not-too-bright Zita (Gianni Schicchi). Although Barton is a mezzo-soprano, her extended range added an extraordinary contralto depth and projection to her sound.”
–Houston Chronicle