Premiered in Milan on 6 March 1831, La Sonnambula is regarded as Bellini’s first true masterpiece. The opera teils the story of Amina, who is to marry Elvino, but sleepwalks into the room of Count Rodolfo the night before her wedding. Upon hearing of this deplorable incident, Elvino calls off the wedding. Although Rodolfo confirms her innocence, Elvino remains steel-hearted, until Amina sleepwalks again… This new production of La Sonnambula dazzles with lovingly detailed and imaginative sets which repro duce a Swiss alpine resort in the 1930s (Bellini hirnself set the action in a Swiss village). Complete with a majestic mountain panorama, a cable car and a grand salon, not to mention the colorfully dressed resort guests, the settings deploy an enchanting picture book of visual surprises. Director Bepi Morassi interweaves subtle details that reflect the social realities of today, such as a marriage contract. ..
Aureliano in Palmira
Since 1980 Pesaro, the Italian town at the Adriatic Sea, is celebrating its most famous son: Gioachino Rossini. Besides the well known and famous works of the master, in the intimate setting of the Teatro Rossini also the creations which fell into oblivion were performed. In 2014 “Aureliano in Palmira” was for the very first time part of the festival’s repertoire: a great work about love, war jealousy, loyalty and magnanimity.
Ciro in Babilonia
Gioachino Rossini was only 20 years old when he wrote his fifth opera, Ciro in Babilonia, for the Teatro Comunale Ferrara in 1812. In this production from the Rossini Opera Festival of Pesaro (Italy), stage director Davide Livermore sets the action in the 1920s, with period black-and-white film inserts, lavish costumes in the Art Nouveau style, and decors highlighted by “Babylonian” elements. The production was a wildly cheered hit with the audience.
La Sonnambula
This ‘spirited and witty’ – in the words of Germany’s prestigious daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – new production of Vincenzo Bellini’s (1801-1835) ‘La sonnambula’ dazzles with its lovingly detailed and imaginative sets which reproduce a Swiss alpine resort in the 1930s (Bellini himself set the action in a Swiss village). Complete with a majestic mountain panorama, cable car, post-bus and grand salon, not to mention the colorfully dressed resort guests, set designer Massimo Checchetto deploys an enchanting picture book of visual surprises.
Adelaide di Borgogna
From the Rossini Festival in Pesaro comes the first staged performance since 1825 of “Adelaide di Borgogna”. Set in medieval times, the libretto relates the tale of a king’s widow who is used as a pawn in diplomatic and amorous intrigues. “Adelaide” stars sought-after mezzo Daniela Barcellona as Ottone, and, in the role of Adelaide, young Australian soprano Jessica Pratt, who possesses a natural-born bel-canto voice. Director Pier’ Alli ha devised a modern, stylish look for his production, which interweaves medieval aspects with ironically used elements from the time of the opera’s genesis.