Zurich Opera House 8 March 2023 - La Cenerentola | GoComGo.com

La Cenerentola

Zurich Opera House, Zurich, Switzerland
All photos (6)
Wednesday 8 March 2023

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Important Info
Type: Opera
City: Zurich, Switzerland
Starts at: 19:30
Overview

Cecilia Bartoli’s dazzling Rossini interpretations have remained a benchmark of her close association with the Opernhaus Zürich. Here, Rossini’s Cinderella has long been one of her signature roles.

In this revival of La Cenerentola, Bartoli is once again supported by an outstanding Rossini ensemble. Together, they are perfectly in tune with one another: Alessandro Corbelli, Rebeca Olvera, and Liliana Nikiteanu, among others. Joining them for the first time as Prince Don Ramiro is the young South African tenor Levy Sekgapane, who has already made a name for himself internationally as a Rossini tenor. Conductor Gianluca Capuano will provide musical sparkle from the orchestra pit in a historically informed reading of Rossini’s score. First performed in Rome in 1817, La Cenerentola remains one of Rossini’s most successful opera buffa operas, alongside Il barbiere di Siviglia. Rossini’s version of the Cinderella story is as lively and comic as one might expect from the composer, but its profound, human side proves unexpectedly captivating. Bullied by her nasty stepsisters, Angelina resolutely follows the convictions she has in her heart – and she stands out amidst the comedic turbulence around her, musically and otherwise. Time and again she sings her simple, sad song of a king who chose a wife with a good heart, without regard for her social class.

Angelina’s story has a happily ever after in this Cinderella story. Prince Don Ramiro, who at first pretends to be his own valet Dandini, falls in love with Angelina, whom he thinks is but a kitchen maid. Her two sisters, meanwhile, leave empty-handed. When Angelina – now a bride – begins her famous rondo, and generously forgives her sisters, Rossini fans’ hearts are sure to beat just a tick faster. The opera ends with a supreme display of vocal fireworks.

History
Premiere of this production: 25 January 1817, Teatro Valle, Rome

La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo (Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant) is an operatic dramma giocoso in two acts by Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was written by Jacopo Ferretti, based on the fairy tale Cendrillon by Charles Perrault. The opera was first performed in Rome's Teatro Valle on 25 January 1817.

Venue Info

Zurich Opera House - Zurich
Location   Sechseläutenplatz 1

Zürich Opera House is a main opera house in Zürich and Switzerland. Located at the Sechseläutenplatz, it has been the home of the Zürich Opera since 1891, and also houses the Bernhard-Theater Zürich. It is also home to the Zürich Ballet. The Opera House also holds concerts by its Philharmonia orchestra, matinees, Lieder evenings and events for children. The Zürich Opera Ball is organised every year in March, and is usually attended by prominent names.

The first permanent theatre, the Aktientheater, was built in 1834 and it became the focus of Richard Wagner’s activities during his period of exile from Germany.

The Aktientheater burnt down in 1890. The new Stadttheater Zürich (municipal theatre) was built by the Viennese architects Fellner & Helmer, who changed their previous design for the theatre in Wiesbaden only slightly. It was opened in 1891. It was the city's main performance space for drama, opera, and musical events until 1925, when it was renamed Opernhaus Zürich and a separate theatre for plays was built: The Bernhard Theater opened in 1941, in May 1981 the Esplanada building was demolished, and the present adjoint building opened on 27/28 December 1984 after three years of transition in the Kaufhaus building nearby Schanzengraben.

By the 1970s, the opera house was badly in need of major renovations; when some considered it not worth restoring, a new theatre was proposed for the site. However, between 1982 and 1984, rebuilding took place but not without huge local opposition which was expressed in street riots. The rebuilt theatre was inaugurated with Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and the world première of Rudolf Kelterborn’s Chekhov opera Der Kirschgarten.

As restored, the theatre is an ornate building with a neo-classical façade of white and grey stone adorned with busts of Weber, Wagner, and Mozart. Additionally, busts of Schiller, Shakespeare, and Goethe are to be found. The auditorium is built in the neo-rococo style and seats approximately 1200 people. During the refurbishment, the issue of sightlines was not adequately addressed. As a result, the theatre has a high number of seats with a limited view, or no view, of the stage. This is unusual in international comparison, where sightlines in historic opera houses have been typically enhanced over time.

Corporate archives and historical library collections are held at the music department of the Predigerkirche Zürich.

The Zürich Opera House is also home of the International Opera Studio (in German: Internationales Opernstudio IOS) which is a educational program for young singers and pianists. The studio was created in 1961 and has renowned artists currently teaching such as Brigitte Fassbaender, Hedwig Fassbender, Andreas Homocki, Rosemary Joshua, Adrian Kelly, Fabio Luisi, Jetske Mijnssen, Ann Murray, Eytan Pessen or Edith Wiens.

Important Info
Type: Opera
City: Zurich, Switzerland
Starts at: 19:30
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