The Metropolitan Opera’s new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s dramatic Il Trovatore will be released at Cinema Nouveau Theatres throughout South Africa on 27 May.
This production is a revival of David McVicar’s popular staging, which premiered at the Met in 2009 and was praised by the New York Times for being “clear-headed, psychologically insightful and fluid’.
Leading the cast is American soprano Sondra Radvanovsky, called “today’s leading Verdi soprano” by Time Out New York. She reprises her role as Leonora. Alongside her, Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky plays Count di Luna. American mezzo-soprano powerhouse Dolora Zajick appears as Azucena and the young tenor Marcelo Alvarez of the Bel Canto repertoire sings Manrico.
The production is conducted by the Met Opera’s resident conductor and critically-acclaimed maestro, James Levine.
Il Trovatore had its initial debut at the Met in 1883, during the first week of the company’s inaugural season. This current season marks the 614th performance of Il Trovatore at the Met Opera.
Based on the play El Trovador (1836) by Antonio Garcia Gutierrez, Il Trovatore (The Troubadour) is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, who died in 1852 before completion of the libretto.
This gave the composer the opportunity to propose significant revisions, which were accomplished under his direction by the young librettist, Leone Emanuele Bardare. These revisions are seen largely in the expansion of the role of Leonora.
Set in the mountains of Medieval Northern Spain, Il Trovatore (the Troubadour) is a chanting warrior named Manrico, who’s enemy in the region is the Count di Luna. From the outset, these two opposing forces are in conflict.
Il Trovatore is one of two remaining productions in the 4th season of Metropolitan Opera at Cinema Nouveau.
The last opera to close this season is Wagner’s Die Walkure (June 10, 2011)
The 6 Cinema Nouveau sites in the country are: Rosebank Nouveau (Johannesburg); Brooklyn Nouveau (Johannesburg); Bedford Nouveau (Johannesburg); V&A Nouveau (Cape Town); Cavendish Nouveau (Cape Town); and Gateway Nouveau (Umhlanga).
For more information on Opera with Cinema Nouveau, please visit: www.sterkinekor.com
