In tandem with the Pavarotti Voice Competition, the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples Academy will present the comedic opera “Don Pasquale” in two performances this weekend.
Although it was first performed in Milan in 1843, “Don Pasquale” is considered timeless. This weekend’s performances of the comedic opera at the Wang Opera Center in Naples, however, look to the future. That’s because some of today’s rising opera stars from around the world will be performing for the first time accompanied by an orchestra.
“Many of these young singers, they study in the colleges, the universities, but with piano,” Maestro Ramon Tebar explained. “They don’t have exposure to an orchestra. It is very, very different to sing only with a piano than to sing even with a small orchestra, like this one will be a chamber orchestra and I will conduct. So they don’t have that experience, some of them don’t know how to follow a conductor. So this is very important for them.”
The plot of “Don Pasquale” is familiar.
“This is something we have seen so many times, an old guy marrying a young woman, you know, we call nowadays a gold digger, right, and taking out all his money, and this is what the opera is about,” Tebar said.
But there’s more than a funny, familiar storyline in store for audiences.
“The great thing about this opera is that the tunes are so catchy, and the music is so sparkling and brilliant and lively and so comic and funny that Pasquale is always a hit,” Tebar added.
The opera will be sung in Italian. Although Opera Naples always provides English subtitles, it’s easy to follow the storyline from the context.
“Don Pasquale” will be performed at the Wang Opera Center at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19.
MORE INFORMATION:
“Don Pasquale” is an example of opera buffa or comic opera.
It was written by Gaetano Donizetti, who influenced the likes of Verdi and Rossini.
The libretto was written by Giovanni Ruffini, but he disassociated himself from the opera due to creative differences with Donizetti.
It consists of an overture and three acts, with a running time of just over two hours.
The protagonist is modeled on the Comedia dell’Arte character of Pantalone, a rich and greedy old fool who chased after young women, who cheated him out of his money in the end.
Donizetti wrote approximately 70 operas. He wrote “Don Pasquale” when he was at the height of his musical powers, although in failing health.
Legend has it that he composed the music of “Don Pasquale” in a mere 11 days. However, composers at that time often recycled old material. Moreover, the 11-day timeframe was not from a blank sheet to a complete opera, but more of an outline with all the leads and scenes in place.
The opera was first performed in 1843 by the Théâtre-Italien at the Salle Ventadour in Paris with great success.
It is generally regarded as the high point of the 19th century opera buffa tradition, as well as marking its ending.
As Maestro Ramon Tebar notes, the melodies in Don Pasquale are incredibly catchy and memorable, but they’re far from simple. It takes talented singers to make the opera sound easy and breezy.
Support for WGCU’s arts & culture reporting comes from the Estate of Myra Janco Daniels, the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation, and Naomi Bloom in loving memory of her husband, Ron Wallace.