The passionate, comedic and flamboyant Italian opera, Don Pasquale, takes to the stage for five nights only in Cape Town at the Baxter Theatre on Tuesday.
Italian comedies are not known for their dramatic love stories and Don Pasquale is no exception. This raw and refreshing theatrical work of art, tells the story of two young lovers who band together in an effort to teach a shameless elder bachelor a lesson.
Don Pasquale offers theatre goers the rare chance to take in the beautiful Italian language on a South African stage (with subtitles of course), mixed together with theatrical splendour, presented with truly exceptional opera voices.
The complimentary melodies of lead songbirds, Guest artist Bongani Justice Kubheka and Conroy Scott share the title role, CTO’s Brittany Smith as Norina, Lunga Hallam as Ernesto and UCT’s Luvuyo Mbundu as Dr. Malatesta are nothing short of musical magnificence. Classical Italian tunes combined with the superb upbeat opera singing is a sight and sound to behold, with props and projected backdrops adding a unique sense of dimension to each scene – in a most memorable way.
A wonderful addition to the cast is the young chorus from the UCT Opera School and the comic relief supplied by interestingly dressed characters enjoying spaghetti in humorous ways as Don Pasquale belts out lush bass opera notes.
Time spent enjoying Don Pasquale in the last days of winter will not be time wasted. The songs performed by the exceptional cast are breathtaking and are sure to leave you pleasantly surprised. The look and feel of the characters compliments each stage setting perfectly and the guidance of German director, Claudia Blersch, can be felt in every scene. Don Pasquale is a must-see – and a fabulous opera experience from start to finish.
Watch some enjoyable rehearsal footage here:
Pictures: Supplied