Palais Opéra de Liège
Tonight my dear friend Jacques Ogg whisked me to the nearby city of Liege for an opera that for me was a true tour de force:
First performed at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice, on 11 March 1830. Editions Ricordi.
From their website:
The story is that of Romeo and Juliet, drawn from the work by Shakespeare, which has been the subject of many musical versions since the Renaissance. However, Bellini and his librettist Romani were inspired by the great English playwright only indirectly, basing their work instead on some Italian texts from the 15th century. The result, however, can be considered as one of the masterpieces of the Sicilian composer, who died prematurely at the age of thirty-four.
In this work, melody reaches perfection, offering pages of sublime music that is unparalleled in the entire history of song. The orchestration is simple and serves as a back-drop for the voices.
Liège welcomes two bel canto stars for this opera: Patrizia Ciofi, Giulietta, and Laura Polverelli, Roméo. After her magnificent performance of Maria Stuarda here, Patrizia Ciofi moved on to the role of Giulietta at the Opéra Bastille. She will soon be at La Scala for Il Viaggio a Reims and will sing the title role in La Traviata at the Chorégies d'Orange in summer 2009 and at La Fenice in September. Her schedule is unbelievably busy…
Alongside her, we will welcome Laura Polverelli for the first time. This pair of exceptional performers will undoubtedly lift this essentially beautiful music to its peak. To direct a work of such sensitivity, we can rely on the delicate, flowing direction of Luciano Acocella. We will also experience for the first time the work of Cristina Muti, founder and leading light of the prestigious Ravenna Festival. In parallel with this important role, the artist is currently pursuing a very successful career as a director.
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