Opera’s Dramatic Double Bill Oozes With Emotion
Photo credit: Keith Saunders.
Opera’s dramatic double bill – Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci returns this January, presented by Opera Australia in an Olivier Award-winning co-production with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Götebord Opera Sweden and La Monnaie Brussels.
Oozing with tragedy, intrigue, despair and overpowering emotion, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana is a one-act tale of ‘rustic chivalry’ and ‘vendetta’ which premiered in 1890 and was popular from the start. Set in Sicily ay Easter, it is lush with popular melodies and arias, like the Easter Hymn and the Intemezzo. This production by features Diego Torre as Turiddu, Dragana Radakovic (Turandot in the 2016 Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production) as Santuzza, José Carbó as Alfio, Dominica Matthews as Mamma Lucia and Sian Pendry as Lola.
Doubling the tenor roles, Diego Torre also takes the part of Canio, a role made famous by Enrico Caruso, in Pagliacci, the tale of the heart-broken clown, singing the heart-rending aria Vesti la giubba. Also in the ensemble are Anna Princeva as Nedda, a role sung by Nellie Melba at its Met premiere in 1893, with José Carbó as Tonio, Samuel Dundas as Silvio and John Longmuir as Beppe.
On at the Joan Sutherland Theatre of the Sydney Opera House on from January 12 – February 4, 2016.
