Gaetano Donizetti, born on Nov. 29, 1797, was one of the leading Bel Canto composers of all time. He wrote his first opera, “Il Pigmalione” at the age of 19 and he would go on to create 75 operas throughout his lifetime. His first major successes came with his comic operas, though in 1830, he scored a massive success with {…}
Donizetti’s “L’Elsiir d’Amore” will be broadcast live from the Vienna State Opera on Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, on its live streaming service. This performance is set to feature conductor Speranza Scappucci alongside Aida Garifullina, Benjamin Bernheim, Orhan Yildiz, and Paolo Rumetz in the famed production by Otto Schenk. Garifullina is also set to star in “Rigoletto” at the Vienna State {…}
“Opera Meets Film” is a feature dedicated to exploring the way that opera has been employed in cinema. We will select a section or a film in its entirety, highlighting the impact that utilizing the operatic form or sections from an opera can alter our perception of a film that we are viewing. This week’s installment features “The Young Victoria.” {…}
Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore,” which the exception of Rossini’s “Barbiere di Siviglia,” might be the most famous opera comedy of all time. The work, which premiered on May 12, 1832, was written in just six weeks and went on to be a runaway success for the ensuing decade. It was the most performed opera in Italy between 1838-48 and not much {…}
The path of true love never runs smoothly, or so the well-known expression runs. Through the centuries men and women have constantly misunderstood each other’s intentions; the game of love is no simple affair. What should be a simple development between two people who love each other almost by default becomes complicated and fraught with misunderstandings as they engage in {…}
PBS will showcase “L’Elisir D’Amore” from the Metropolitan Opera as part of its Great Performances Series on Sunday, April 29, 2018. The broadcast will kick off at 12 p.m. EDT and will showcase soprano Pretty Yende, tenor Matthew Polenzani, baritone Davide Luciano, and bass Ildebrando D’Arcangelo. The showcase, from February’s Live in HD series, was hosted Susanna Phillips and conducted {…}
On Saturday, the Metropolitan Opera will continue its 2017-18 Live in HD series with a performance of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore.” The opera is set to star Matthew Polenzani, Pretty Yende, Davide Luciano, and Ildebrando d’Arcangelo in Bartlett Sher’s production. The production was largely hailed with OperaWire noting that the singers “made this night another success for the Met as the {…}
On Feb. 10, 2018, audiences around the world will have their pick of watching two different “L’Elisir d’Amore” performances. The Met’s Live in HD program will showcase its own version, but the Vienna State Opera will live stream another performance around the same exact time. The performance will feature Benjamin Bernheim, Andrea Carroll, Mario Cassi, and Paolo Rumetz in the {…}
This review is for the performance on Saturday, January 20, 2018. Audiences at the Metropolitan Opera were in for a treat this evening as they gathered for Donizetti’s heartfelt comedy “L’Elisir D’Amore.” Bartlett Sher’s production faithfully held to tradition while creating an authentic experience of a small, connected village where events big or small ripple outwards and leave nothing untouched. {…}
On Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, the Metropolitan Opera revives Bartlett Sher’s production of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” which opened the 2012-13 season. This season the opera will feature one returning star among a number of first-timers for this particular version of the opera. The work will run for 10 performances, ending on Feb. 17, 2018. Here is a look at the {…}
Famed bass Enzo Dara passed away at his home in Mantua on August 25, 2017. Born on Oct. 13, 1938, he would develop a storied career that saw him dominate in the buffo repertoire starting with his 1960 debut as in “La Bohème” in Fano. His big breakthrough came in 1967 when he stepped into the role of Don Bartolo {…}
