Small picture of Donizetti

 

 

Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore

Royal Opera House, London, November 13 - December 7, 2012.

Photographs by Catherine Ashmore, courtesy of the Royal Opera House, London.

 

Alan Jackson, the Society's Treasurer, has provided the following comments on this revival.

Covent Garden’s production of L’elisir d’amore, originally directed by Laurent Pelly and in the hands of Daniel Dooner for this revival, remains as delightful as ever. The Adina, Belcore and Dulcamara of Aleksandra Kurzak, Fabio Capitanucci and Ambrogio Maestri are extremely well sung and played under the baton of Bruno Campanella. And listed like that, unfortunately you expect a “but”, which is that Roberto Alagna’s Nemorino is now too mature for the role physically and too worn vocally. He climbs up and down the haystacks and moves around in the appropriately agile manner, yet without completely disguising his years. And alas, his voice is now very frayed, in a part that demands the mellifluous, a quality he no longer commands. He does not spoil the show, but he does not provide the necessary vocal sunshine either.

This opinion was pretty much shared by Jim Pritchard (Seen and Heard International, November 14, 2012), John Allison (Daily Telegraph, November 23, 2012) and Tim Ashley (The Guardian, November 14, 2012), Ashley calling it "a classy evening" , although they were a little more positive about Alagna.

 

The Team

 

Adina - Aleksandra Kurzak

Nemorino - Roberto Alagna / Stefan Pop

Belcore - Fabio Capitanucci

Dulcamara - Ambrogio Maestri

Giannetta - Susana Gaspar

 

Conductor  - Bruno Campanella

Director - Laurent Pelly

Revival Director - Daniel Dooner

Costume designs - Laurent Pelly

Set designs - Chantal Thomas

Associate costume designer - Donate Marchand

Lighting design - Joël Adam

 

Royal Opera House Chorus and Opera

  

 

© ROH / Catherine Ashmore

Adina

 

 

© ROH / Catherine Ashmore

Adina, Belcore and chorus

 

 

© ROH / Catherine Ashmore

Dulcamara and chorus

 

 

© ROH / Catherine Ashmore

 Nemorino

 

 

© ROH / Catherine Ashmore

Adina and Nemorino

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© Donizetti Society and contributors, 2004-2012