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An Opera of Two Halves

Donizetti's 'L'ange de Nisida' at Covent Garden,
reviewed by ALICE McVEIGH

 

Well, L'ange de Nisida [seen 18 July 2018, Royal Opera, London UK] was an opera of two halves, for sure: Donizetti in manic-depressive mode: the first half as frothy as up-market Gilbert and Sullivan — the second turgid, melodramatic — and risible in quite another fashion. The first half was dominated by the machinations of the King's chamberlain — the second by unconvincingly Traviata-like death throes of the heroine and with half the cast either (a) contemplating signing up for the convent/cloisters or (b) doing it. There were enough misunderstandings to supply two shows-worth of The Gondeliers, yet, as long as one ignored the surtitles (assuming one's French is as weak as mine) there was still much to enjoy...

Copyright © 22 July 2018 Alice McVeigh,
Kent UK

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GAETANO DONIZETTI

COVENT GARDEN

LONDON

UNITED KINGDOM

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