Performer: Hasmik Torosyan

New National Theatre Tokyo's new staging of Donizetti's jolly Don Pasquale, in Stefano Vizioli's classic production, featured some sparkling vocal performances from a fine cast.

The staging sways between tackiness and naivety, like those old Christmas cards with sequins glued to the edges of the figures.

Commissioned as an operetta, La rondine became a true opera instead, and was presented in 1917 in Montecarlo at the high point of WW1.