I've blogged before about The Royal Opera House's sometimes bizarrely bad choice in stage design, such as the Don Giovanni set made of those glass bricks used by interior designers for fancy bathrooms.
This time however they've created a gem, set in what felt like a remote 1950s Italian country community, all hay stacks, Vespa electric bikes (working), isolated roadside tavernas and fields stretching to the far horizon. Apparently it was inspired by Fellini - see this video.
The cast was superb too, with Aleksandra Kurzak (above) a peachy Adina, sensuous in her summer dresses, and Roberto Alagna as the smitten Nemorino, plus Fabio Capitanucci as Beclore and Ambrogio Maestri as the quack Dr Dulcamara.
Well acted through-out it was very funny, its wit and good humour making it impossible not to smile pretty much from beginning to end.
There was even a dog! Think Eddie from Frasier, racing across the stage to steal the scene and leave the audience gagging for the next act.
A total joy.
Image from: here
2 comments:
Sounds like a great evening.
As for Donizetti, of course he can't compare to Mozart, but Lucia has some lovely parts. And La Fille du Regiment has some cute moments - especially when portrayed by Natalie Dessay.
It was great fun, and I agree, musically Mozart (plus others) is much better.
Last night heard Beethoven's Kreutzer sonata which was amazing.
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