Placido Domingo to sing in Woody Allen-directed 'Gianni Schicchi' at LA Opera

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Placido Domingo will take on his 146th role when he sings the title character of Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” in a Woody Allen production on Sept. 12, the opening night of the Los Angeles Opera 2015-16 season.

Allen will return to direct his staging, which premiered in 2008, the company announced Tuesday. Domingo will conduct the second half of the double bill, a revival of Franco Zeffirelli’s 1996 production of Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” featuring Marco Berti as Canio.

The 74-year-old Domingo, the LA Opera’s general director, has shifted from tenor to baritone parts in recent years. He is scheduled for his 144th role, the title character in Verdi’s “Macbeth,” at Berlin’s Staatsoper starting Feb. 7 and for his role debut as Don Carlo in Verdi’s “Ernani” at New York’s Metropolitan Opera beginning March 20.

The LA Opera’s 30th anniversary season also includes Jay Hunter Morris in the Los Angeles premiere of Jake Heggie’s “Moby-Dick” (Oct. 31), Angela Meade in Bellini’s “Norma” (Nov. 21), Mozart’s “Die Zauberfloete” (Feb. 13, 2016), Ana María Martínez in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” (March 12) and Nino Machaidze in Puccini’s “La Boheme” (May 14).