Woody Allen did it again! Although he had been making light of the frequent questions regarding his future directorial debut in opera, Woody Allen nevertheless minimized his contribution to the new production of Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” that he was directing for the Los Angeles Opera.

“I have no idea what I’m doing,” he reportedly told The Los Angeles Times. However, “incompetence has never prevented me from plunging in with enthusiasm,” the 72-year-old filmmaker added.

The Los Angeles Opera’s production of Puccini’s triptych of one-act operas, called “Il Trittico,” launched the company’s season on Saturday night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, led by James Conlon. In spite of the fact that another renowned film director, William Friedkin, directed the first two operas, “Il Tabarro” and “Suor Angelica,” Woody Allen’s “Gianni Schicchi” stole the spotlight, as the helmer’s much talked about directorial debut in opera had been lingering in the public eye for quite some time.

The opera staged by Woody Allen was not incompetent by any means, as the production was ingeniously well run, resourceful and funny, obviously, as the famed filmmaker leaves his humorous mark on all of his works.

Allen opened his “Gianni Schicchi” with an amusing black and white montage of film credits, while a street band played “Funiculì, Funiculà” in the background. The names were ludicrous, such as Giuseppe Prosciutto, Aldo Melone and Vitello Tonato.

The opera takes place in 1299 and is clearly viewed by Woody Allen as an old movie, which depicts everything in black, white and grey.

Buoso Donati has just died and his family members are striving to find his will, to finally discover it in a pot of pasta. However, to their astonishment, they find out that the deceased is giving all of his money to charity, so the shifty relatives think up a plan in order to get their hands on Donati’s possessions.

The slippery Gianni Schicchi gets to fill the shoes of the dead man and makes a new will, while the stylish baritone Thomas Allen takes the lead, going all-out to get what’s best.

In spite of the fact that the audience on Saturday night kept applauding, desiring to see Woody Allen join the cast and conductor James Conlon for the curtain call, the film director made no appearance. However, his humor was present throughout the opera, and no one can deny Allen’s outstanding magnificence.