Don Pasquale

With its score as bubbly and light as a glass of champagne, Don Pasquale is just the thing for the festive season: a time when the Opera looks like a huge Xmas gift placed at the foot of the Christmas tree in Place Stanislas.

Don Pasquale is a grumpy old curmudgeon who plans to marry a beautiful young penniless widow. But the latter proves to be more stubborn than she first appears, and love triumphs in the end. From Carlo Goldoni to Ettore Scola, such a scenario has always been a staple of Italian comedy. It provides the backdrop for one of those irresistible operas in which the twists and turns of the plot unfold at a frenzied pace.

By 1843, Donizetti had already written some seventy operas. Don Pasquale was one of his last masterpieces. It also marks the twilight of opera buffa: in fact, the story of this old man from another age also marks the end of an era for this genre, which had seen its most joyous hours with Rossini and was now shooting forth its last sparks.

Everything seemed easy for the composer at the height of his artistic powers, as he combined graceful melodies with the most refined orchestration. Five years later, Donizetti would be carried off by insanity. He took his final bow with this score, which seems to whisper to us to seize the moment with every note.

The title role is sung by Lucio Gallo, a regular performer on major stages, and that of Norina by the vivacious Vuvu Mpofu. Tim Sheader, a Briton who made his debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company before pursuing an eclectic career that ranges from theatre to musical comedy, will be directing this work that is all about pleasure. We're sure his Don Pasquale will hold some wonderful surprises for young and old alike. A hint? Giant snowmen.

Duration
2 h 30 with interval

Prices
5 — 85 €

in Italian, surtitles
All audiences from 7 years

Introduction to the performance
45 minutes before the start of the performance (free of charge, upon presentation of ticket). 

Audiodescription performance on Thursday 21 December at 8pm - booking on 03 83 85 30 60

Don Pasquale, opera buffa in three acts

First performed at Théâtre-Italien in Paris, on 3 January 1843

Giovanni Ruffini

Gaetano Donizetti

Opéra national de Lorraine

Opéra de Rouen Normandie, Opéra Nice Côte d'Azur

Giulio Cilona

Guillaume Fauchère

William Le Sage

Tim Sheader

Leslie Travers

Jean-Jacques Delmotte

Howard Hudson

Steve Elias

Louise Brun

Lucio Gallo

Vuvu Mpofu

Marco Ciaponi

Germán Olvera

Séverine Maquaire

^* soloist from the Opera Chorus