Roberto Devereux is one of Donizetti's best operas(quite possibly my personal favourite of the Tudor Queen trilogy) to me if not his masterpiece. It has a compellingly moving story, and the music is simply great. This production doesn't do anything to ruin that. The best production of Roberto Devereux is the Alexandrina Pendatchanska one, followed closely by Beverly Sills', then this and last(but still very good) Edita Gruberova's. The costumes and sets are somewhat sparse(look to the Pendatchanska version for utmost lavishness) but tasteful in alternative to ugly and while the staging is conservative it is not square or dull. I loved how the finale was in its entirety and how intense and poignant it was. It is close to faultless musically, with stylistically accurate and beautifully toned orchestral playing- yet with also the right dramatic intensity needed- and sensitive and un-plodding conducting. Dimitra Theodossiou is a regal Elisabetta, somewhat matronly- though not in a bad way- and vengeful, heart-breaking also in her final scene. Her voice is appealingly dark and has a good deal of weight and depth, though her colouratura is less than perfect with runs and embellishments omitted and sometimes a little sloppy. She is very well supported by her colleagues, my personal favourite being Andrew Schroeder's truly excellent Nottingham, he has a very appealing voice and is by far the best actor of the cast. Frederica Bragargia is a highly admirable and strongly sung Sara and Luigi Albani makes the most of the least substantial role of the opera(Lord Cecil). Massimiliano Pisapia is highly credible in the title role, with some heroism and charisma, some nice tone and an understanding of the Bel-Canto style, making up for a tendency to sound a little on the thin side. Overall, very well performed and dramatically powerful. 9/10 Bethany Cox
2 Reviews
Tears in Heaven
Gyran21 November 2013
I recently listened to Britten's Gloriana which covers similar territory to Donizetti's Roberto Devereux. Both operas tell the story of the real life Robert Devereux, the Earl of Essex who was a favourite of the elderly Queen Elizabeth. In Britten's opera Essex, a married man, is an ambitious politician and general who flirts with the elderly queen in order to obtain political advancement. He leads a bungled military campaign in Ireland followed by a half-hearted rebellion against the queen. Elizabeth reluctantly sentences her favourite to death.
Donizetti's version reduces the politics to a simple love triangle. Elizabeth loves Essex but Essex is having an affair with Sara, the Duchess of Nottingham. Essex is sentenced to death for his Irish bungling but Elizabeth signs the death warrant in a fit of jealousy because he will not reveal the name of his lover. There is some business with a scarf and a ring which Shakespeare might have made much of but Donizetti's librettist was no Shakespeare. Donizetti does something similar in his opera Maria Stuarda where, again, Elizabeth is engaged in a love triangle. It gives the impression that the court of the virgin queen was a hotbed of rampant sexuality.
Roberto Devereux is a much better opera than Maria Stuarda and what really matters is that this opera contains some of Donizetti's best music. Elizabeth is a huge part and it is brilliantly executed by the Greek soprano Dimitra Theodossiou, a new name to me. She is imperious in the first two acts, although she does rather overdo the hands on hips stance that would be more appropriate to Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII. In the final act she descends into madness with some extraordinary music that strains the boundaries of conventional musicality. There is good support from Andrew Schroeder and Frederica Bragaglia as the duke and duchess of Nottingham. As Essex, Massimiliano Pisapia is the equal of Luciano Pavirotti, but only if they were having a pie-eating contest. He does have his moment though in his final "Tears in Heaven" aria before going for the chop.
This production from Begamo is conventionally staged and traditionally costumed, which will please most opera lovers. It ends in enthusiastic applause for Dimitra Theodossiou. I think there is a convention that the character that the opera is named after takes the final bow. Not in this opera though where Roberto Devereux wisely gives precedence to the Queen at the final curtain.
Donizetti's version reduces the politics to a simple love triangle. Elizabeth loves Essex but Essex is having an affair with Sara, the Duchess of Nottingham. Essex is sentenced to death for his Irish bungling but Elizabeth signs the death warrant in a fit of jealousy because he will not reveal the name of his lover. There is some business with a scarf and a ring which Shakespeare might have made much of but Donizetti's librettist was no Shakespeare. Donizetti does something similar in his opera Maria Stuarda where, again, Elizabeth is engaged in a love triangle. It gives the impression that the court of the virgin queen was a hotbed of rampant sexuality.
Roberto Devereux is a much better opera than Maria Stuarda and what really matters is that this opera contains some of Donizetti's best music. Elizabeth is a huge part and it is brilliantly executed by the Greek soprano Dimitra Theodossiou, a new name to me. She is imperious in the first two acts, although she does rather overdo the hands on hips stance that would be more appropriate to Elizabeth's father, Henry VIII. In the final act she descends into madness with some extraordinary music that strains the boundaries of conventional musicality. There is good support from Andrew Schroeder and Frederica Bragaglia as the duke and duchess of Nottingham. As Essex, Massimiliano Pisapia is the equal of Luciano Pavirotti, but only if they were having a pie-eating contest. He does have his moment though in his final "Tears in Heaven" aria before going for the chop.
This production from Begamo is conventionally staged and traditionally costumed, which will please most opera lovers. It ends in enthusiastic applause for Dimitra Theodossiou. I think there is a convention that the character that the opera is named after takes the final bow. Not in this opera though where Roberto Devereux wisely gives precedence to the Queen at the final curtain.
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