Magda de Civry is living the dream. She has stepped away from her life as a courtesan and is spending an evening on the town as "Paulette," an ordinary working-class Parisian woman.

And as "Paulette," she's caught the eye of a country gentleman she's recently met, Ruggero Lastouc. There's an undeniable spark between them, and soon they are joined by another couple, Magda's maid Lisette and her lover, the poet Prunier.

Sopranos Anna Christy and Angela Gheorghiu star as Lisette and Magda, opposite tenors Gerard Powers and Misha Didyk in this joyous bar scene at Bullier's in Paris.

Caught up in the magic of the Parisian night — with the drinks flowing and the dance floor pulsing — the couples sing a toast to love in the song "Bevo al tuo fresco sorriso," one of the highlights from this weekend's free streaming special, Giacomo Puccini's "La Rondine."

"I drink to your fresh smile. I drink to your profound desires and to your lips, which have uttered my name," Ruggero sings to Magda, praising her simplicity and virtue — unaware that she's the courtesan he met earlier in the evening.

What happens when Ruggero discovers his lover is concealing her identity from him? Find out as "La Rondine" streams for free the weekend of February 20, 2021, starting Saturday at 10 a.m. Pacific: [ Ссылка ]

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