Donizetti's  Roberto Devereux

Minnesota Opera, Minneapolis, January/February 2010.

Photographs by Michael Daniel, courtesy of Minnesota Opera

The Team

Elisabetta, Queen of England . . . . . . . .Brenda Harris

Roberto Devereux, Earl of Essex.. . . . . Bruno Ribeiro

Duke of Nottingham .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lester Lynch

Sara, Duchess of Nottingham . . . . . . . Tamara Klivadenko

Lord Cecil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . Brad Benoit

Sir Gualtiero Raleigh . . . . . . . . . .. . . . Jonathan Kimple

A page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Michael Nyby

A friend of Nottingham .. . . . . . . . . . . . Rodolfo Nieto

Conductor . . . . . . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . Francesco Maria Colombo

Stage Director . . . . . .  . . . . . . .. .. . . ..Kevin Newbury

Set Designer . . . . . . .  . . . . . .. . . . . . .Neil Patel

Costume Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jessica Jahn

Lighting Designer . . . .  . . . . . . . . . . . . D. M. Wood

Minnesota Opera began their performances of Donizetti's Elizabethan trilogy with Roberto Devereux.  Maria Stuarda and Anna Bolena will be given over the next two seasons. Camille LeFevre in the Minneapolis Post was very impressed by the whole production, praising all the singers and speaking of  Harris offering "a thrilling control infused with the passionate discontent of a queen wronged" and searing "the heavens with a blazing performance that left her visibly exhausted during final bows".  Larry Fuchsberg in the Minneapolis-St Paul Star Tribune was also very supporting writing of the "vivid production" and Harris as "an Elizabeth of surpassing gifts".  Jay Gabler of the Twin Cities Daily Planet in a rather less reverent take on the production particularly highlighted the singing.  There are a number of video clips at http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=50C53A485756B99F

John Allison, editor of Opera Magazine,  wrote an article, "Midwest Magic", in their January, 2010 issue (pp.28-32) on Minnesota Opera in which he highlighted  their "bel canto strand".

Elisabetta and Roberto

Roberto and Nottingham

Roberto and Sara

Elisabetta and Roberto

Elisabetta and Nottingham

Elisabetta and Sara

© Donizetti Society and contributors, 2004-2010