We're off to see Donizetti's Don Pasquale at Nevill Holt Opera. This visit to the opera differed from almost all my previous ones. In those cases I was already at least moderately familiar with the work, usually because I already owned it on CD. By contrast, I came to Don Pasquale with no prior knowledge either of the opera itself or of Donizetti's work more generally.
My brief research prior to this told me that Don Pasquale premiered in 1843 and is generally regarded as being the high point of the 19th century opera buffa (comic opera) tradition, as well as marking its ending. The pre-publicity for this new production by Opera North, directed by James Hurley, noted that it is set in an independent film studio in mid-1960s Rome and blends comedy with the romance and nostalgia of Italy’s film-making heyday.
The view from our seats in the middle of the front row of the balcony:
During the interval we eschewed the opportunity to pay an exorbitant amount of money for a silver-service three-course meal and decided instead to pay an only slightly less exorbitant amount of money for two chicken rolls from the pop-up fast food truck.
I say "chicken rolls" but of course, this being Nevill Holt, these were actually "Nevill Holt chicken sandwiches with sweet-and-sour pickles", prepared on an open barbecue by staff from Cubitt House. Whether or not any of that justified the price of £13 a sandwich I will leave the reader to decide...
The caterers are not the only ones having a laugh:
Back to our seats for the second half of a thoroughly enjoyable evening. I won't attempt to review the play, but I do concur with all the high praise lavished on the production in the reviews listed below.
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