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Tudor history, gothic thrills: Roberto Devereux opens tenth Donizetti Festival in Bergamo

Jessica Pratt (Elisabetta)
© Gianfranco Rota
Jessica Pratt (Elisabetta)
© Gianfranco Rota
Simone Piazzola (Nottingham) and Raffaella Lupinacci (Sara)
© Gianfranco Rota
Coro dell'Accademia Teatro alla Scala
© Gianfranco Rota
John Osborn (Roberto)
© Gianfranco Rota
Jessica Pratt (Elisabetta) and chorus
© Gianfranco Rota
By Mark Pullinger, 16 November 2024
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“has Tudor history ever been so gloriously gothic?”
Reviewed at Teatro Donizetti, Bergamo on 15 November 2024
Programme
Donizetti, Roberto Devereux
Performers
Fondazione Donizetti
Riccardo Frizza, Conductor
Stephen Langridge, Director
Katie Davenport, Set Designer, Costume Designer
Peter Mumford, Lighting Designer
Orchestra Donizetti Opera
Coro dell'Accademia Teatro alla Scala
Jessica Pratt, Elisabetta
John Osborn, Robert Devereux
Simone Piazzola, Duca di Nottingham
Raffaella Lupinacci, Sara, Duchessa di Nottingham
David Astorga, Lord Cecil
Ignas Melnikas, Sir Gualtiero Raleigh
Salvo Sgrò, Choirmaster / chorus director
Students of Bottega Donizetti, Vocals
More Opera reviews
Shipwrecked: Donizetti’s Il furioso comes a cropper in Bergamo
Mark Pullinger, 16th November
Manuel Renga’s sensitive framing device sets up a sympathetic production of a problematic opera, but is scuppered by the central vocal performance.
***11
At Donizetti Opera Festival: farces flop, young singers impress
Mark Pullinger, 15th November
Il campanello and Deux Hommes et une femme bomb at the Donizetti Opera festival, but the young singers of the Bottega Donizetti – and wily old hand Alessandro Corbelli – impress.
***11
Donizetti’s Caterina Cornaro given a controversial update in Bergamo
Mark Pullinger, 14th November
Francesco Micheli reimagines Caterina Cornaro in a contemporary setting, switching to the historical past, to open this year’s Donizetti Opera festival in the composer’s home town.
****1
Young Sicilian soprano grabs the limelight in Bergamo Don Pasquale
Mark Pullinger, 17th November
They came for Javier Camarena, but cheered Giulia Mazzola to the rafters of the Teatro Donizetti as the third production of this year's festival opens. 
***11
A modern makeover for Donizetti’s Zoraida di Granata
Mark Pullinger, 16th November
Bruno Ravella's effective production was seen in Wexford in its original 1822 version, but Donizetti Opera opts for the composer's 1824 revision, throwing the spotlight onto Cecilia Molinari's excellent Abenamet. 
***11
The “other” Lucia at the Donizetti Opera Festival in Bergamo
Laura Servidei, 18th November
Stricken by illness, the French version of Donizetti’s masterpiece is somewhat disappointing.
More reviews...
Read reviews of
Artists from Bottega DonizettiCoro dell'Accademia Teatro alla ScalaDavid AstorgaFondazione DonizettiGaetano DonizettiIgnas MelnikasJessica PrattJohn OsbornKatie DavenportOrchestra Donizetti OperaPeter MumfordRaffaella LupinacciRiccardo FrizzaRoberto DevereuxSalvo SgròSimone PiazzolaStephen Langridge
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Mark Pullinger
Mark Pullinger
Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.