GlorianaNew production

During her last years as queen, Elizabeth I of England was a woman pushed to the limit. As the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, she continued to carry on her shoulders the responsibilities of a divided kingdom and a church which was independent of Rome. Behind the court splendor, hid a woman who was prisoner of her contradictions, affected by age, and betrayed by the man she loved.

This duality can be seen in a libretto that intentionally combined prose and verse in historical and modern day English. The contrast between public and private life was the starting point for an opera which, by no means, met with the acceptance of British monarchical circles, in its bold portrait of the virgin Queen. Moreover, the opera was considered most inappropriate because of the context of its composition: the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. As a result, and in spite of the unanimous seal of approval for Britten’s dramatically forceful score, the work was neglected until it was accepted decades later. Gloriana continues to be a relatively unique piece and the acknowledgement of it artistic value, an absolute priority. 

New production by the Teatro Real, in co-production with English National Opera