Coro dell’Accademia Teatro alla Scala Archives

Zoraida di Granata – Teatro Sociale, Bergamo

27Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Zoraida di Granata – Teatro Sociale, Bergamo

Director Bruno Ravella excels with a stunning interpretation of Donizetti’s 1824 version of his two-act heroic opera in this new production by the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti in co-production with Wexford Festival Opera, that resonates strongly with events currently unravelling in Ukraine and the Middle East. Based in the Moorish kingdom of Granada in Andalusia, Almuzir (Konu Kim) has killed the king of the city by usurping his throne and would like to marry his daughter, Zoraida (Zuzana Marková), who is in love with Abenamet (Cecilia Molinari), head of the Arab aristocratic clan of the Abencerragis. Having declared war on the Spaniards, Almuzir entrusts the command of the army to Abenamet, ordering him to return with the flag. He has however set a trap for his rival by arranging for...

Roberto Devereux – Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo

Director Stephen Langridge delightfully breathes new life into Donizetti’s three-act lyrical tragedy in this new production by the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti in co-production with the Teatro Sociale di Rovigo, and which, in spite of its title, is all about two women: one loved and one scorned, and the resulting danger that ensues. In late 16th C London, Elizabetta I (Jessica Pratt) feels neglected by Roberto Devereux (John Osborn), Earl of Essex, with whom she is madly in love. Two of the Queen’s advisors, Lord Cecil (David Astorga) and Raleigh (Ignas Malnikas), Essex’s enemies, ask her to charge him with treason for his lenient behaviour in the war against Spain. Elisabetta receives Roberto, who is detached and reserved. The Duke of Nottingham (Simone Piazzole) is concerned by the ...

Don Pasquale – Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo

Director Amélie Niermeyer has bravely adopted a modern interpretation of Donizetti’s classic comedy opera in this new production by the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti, but at the end of the day, there’s just too much going on which becomes a distraction and disrupts the singing. In Rome, the old and rich Don Pasquale da Corneto (Roberto de Candia) has decided to disinherit his nephew Ernesto (Javier Camarena), guilty of having refused the hand of a rich spinster because he is in love with Norina (Giulia Mazzola), a poor young widow. Despite his age, and in order to have an offspring, Don Pasquale therefore decides to marry and instructs Doctor Malatesta (Dario Sogos) to find him a wife. Malatesta, who is actually a close friend of Ernesto’s, extols the virtues of his ‘sister’ Sofronia, who...