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Opera Series: Women embracing their destiny Peter Conrad’s wonderfully evocative and challenging book about opera spins deftly the conceit of ‘A Song of Love and Death’.
their protagonists, each of them makes their case, with the result that a sense of tragedy is undeniably the overwhelming impact at the end of each journey.
There are always exceptions to catch-all analytical understandings or perceptions, but a truth emerges in astute hands. Certainly our three chosen operas for the 2015 Festival answer to the lasso Peter throws. Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco loves God and France, and certainly dies for that love. Lucy Ashton in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor loves one man and dies insane after murdering another she is forced to marry instead. Finally, Gustave Charpentier’s Louise is also passionately in love, although it is difficult to decide whether it is Julien, her lover, or Paris and ‘freedom’ that she loves most; no-one dies in this opera but true to its French verismo spirit it could be said that Louise’s father suffers despair and traumatic loss when his daughter finally renounces her home life in favour of the exotic lights of Paris.
Donizetti was at the peak of his powers around 1834 and 1835 when Lucia was conceived and completed; both Maria Stuarda and Lucia were written in hot succession along with several others, it has to be said, in keeping with Donizetti’s speed of composition. But these two stand out for their dark romantic tragedy which, to my mind, is where Donizetti scales heights to which Verdi took a while before equalling. Lucia is my idea of his life’s masterpiece. The depths of characterisation belie the concision within this work, considering that Walter Scott’s novel of 1819 is predictably of epic length. I have read Scott very happily, but I think the libretto for Lucia is a shining example of perfect structure and length, allowing an almost graphic musical imagination to summon up key scenes and atmospheres freely and seemingly spontaneously. Elin Pritchard, an absolutely remarkable young soprano, will make her debut as Lucia and her debut at the Festival. I’m so pleased that Stephen Gadd will return bringing his bel canto pedigree to bear as Enrico.
However, these three operas are all centred upon women, around which their surrounding world is powerless to affect what becomes transparently inevitable. All three heroines take full control of their destiny sooner or later. The politics of how to be and what it is to be a woman are never far from many operas’ deliberations. Does the music raise the game in these three operas? Yes, undoubtedly. Because all three composers clearly felt enormous emotional and philosophical sympathy for
Verdi’s Giovanna was premiered in 1845, only 10 years later. Elijah Moshinsky warmly enthuses about this work, and his experience and pre-eminence from directing Verdi all over the world will give us a Giovanna to remember. For me, it is Verdi’s attacking power allied with music of aching tenderness that characterises his growth towards the greater complexities of La traviata and encompasses a world of tension but also conviction and destiny. It’s a powerful work. Kate Ladner who ▶ spellbound audiences with her
Festival dates: 10—26 July Festival operas: Giovanna d’Arco by Verdi 11, 14, 17, 21 & 24 July Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti 12, 15, 18, 22 (matinee), 25 July Louise by Charpentier 16, 19 (matinee) & 23 July Visit the Festival website and sign up for our monthly e-newsletter list for regular updates.
Booking dates 2 March: Benefactors, Patrons and Gold Friends booking opens 9 March: Friends booking opens 1 April: General booking opens You will receive a copy of the brochure and booking form by post. All orders will then be dealt with in order of membership level regardless of when received.
buxtonfestival.co.uk ❘ FEBRUARY 2015
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