L’Ange de Nisida in concert

L’Ange de Nisida in concert

Donizetti completed the score for L’Ange de Nisida in 1839, for the Théâtre de la Renaissance in Paris. But the theatre went bankrupt and the opera was never performed. Donizetti was able to recycle some of his music in later works – most notably in La Favorite – but much of the score has never been heard. Mark Elder’s Opera Rara presents a concert performance of a new performing edition by Italian musicologist Candida Mantica, in the world premiere of this unknown Donizetti opera.

Donizetti had enjoyed a period of extraordinary productivity throughout the 1830s, his last decade in Italy. He wrote 25 operas over 1830–8, including such works as L’elisir d’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor and Maria Stuarda. In 1838 he left Naples for a new life in Paris, and from 1840 would equal and surpass his Neapolitan successes – albeit with some casualties, including L’Ange de Nisida and Le Duc d’Albe. This world premiere sheds new light on this international phase of Donizetti’s later career.

Russian bass Evgeny Stavinsky makes his Royal Opera debut in the 2017/18 Season as Monk (L’Ange de Nisida) in concert.

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