Thursday, March 25, 2010

Mercoledi Musicale

I haven't done a Mercoledi Musicale in a few weeks and even now am a day late. However given that I saw the incredible Mariella Devia on Tuesday night in this role at San Carlo I thought I'd post this excerpt from Donizetti's Maria Stuarda. Devia is one of my favorites and this was the third time I've seen her since coming to Italy: first in a remarkable concert here in Roma, then in I Capuleti e i Montecchi in Genoa and now in Napoli. She did have a career in North America for a while but for the past two decades has centered most of her work here in Italy specializing in the bel canto roles of Donizetti, Rossini and Bellini.

As she receives news of her pending execution Mary Stuart voices a prayer to heaven. Devia has just turned 61 and though the silver of her voice may be a bit tarnished she still has all the skill to tear at the heart strings with this brilliant piece of musical theatre.



I'm looking forward to another one of her signature roles - Violetta in La Traviata later this year in Bologna.
The cast of Maria Stuarda take their curtain call at San Carlo Napoli on Tuesday Night: Sonia Gonassi, Andriy Yurkevych, Mariella Devia, Ricardo Bernal, Caterin di Tonno and Carlo Cigni.

25 marzo - Annunciazione del Signore

2 comments:

sageweb said...

that was beautiful!

yvette said...

Mariella is the best belcantist so far and with Sonia...Ah! la, la ...I spent quite a while listening to your links. You ARE lucky. I am off to Monaco, Bryn in Falstaff for a change!