Opera in one act to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano, the second panel of The triptych. First performance: New York, Metropolitan Opera House, 14 December 1918.

It is the only opera by Puccini composed to a libretto that is not based on a previous theatrical or literary work. Forzano said that he had developed the idea, without knowing that Puccini had a sister who was a nun and lived in a cloistered convent. The composition was very rapid, considering Puccini’s timing: a few months from March to July 1917 for the composition, then about a month for the orchestration. It seems that Puccini, once the work was finished, had his sister and the other nuns listen to it, causing a lot of commotion.

Suor Angelica is the less fortunate of the three works of The triptych, while it was Puccini’s favourite.