In the 16 June 2021 episode of OperaWednesday, highlights from La fille du régiment, a comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti were presented form the Sándor Hevesi Stage of the Eiffel Art Studios. The performance was streamed from 8:00 p.m. on Facebook and Origo.hu.
Since being orphaned as a small child, the young and plucky Marie has grown up in the French army. Unaware of her aristocratic origins, she falls in love with a handsome peasant lad. Will she really marry him out of love? Set during the Napoleonic Wars, La fille du régiment was one of Gaetano Donizetti’s most successful operas during its own era, and singing the title role was the dream of every coloratura soprano throughout the entire 19th century. In 1838, tired of his constant struggles with the Italian censors, Donizetti moved to Paris. There, the great Italian bel canto composer wrote his first French-language comic opera, modelling it much more on the unique features of the French opéra comique style and its composers. Donizetti’s opera is a candid love letter to France – and the country reciprocated his affection, staging it every 14 July, on Bastille Day.
The title role of the concerts highlights was sung by Zita Szemere, her partners were Gergely Boncsér (Tonio), Mária Farkasréti (Marquise Berkenfield), András Palerdi (Sulpiz) and László Szvétek (Chaplain) accompanied on the piano by Sámuel Csaba Tóth. The performance staged by Erika Tóth was narrated by Dániel Mona.
The performance can be viewed HERE.
Photo by Valter Berecz