Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/470920
XIV maltatoday, Sunday, 1 March 2015 This Week Manoel Theatre preps for L'Elisir d'Amore On March 12, 13 and 15 Manoel Theatre will stage its new produc- tion of Gaetano Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. Described by Artistic Director Kenneth Zammit Tabona, as a very popular opera which combines scintillating belcanto with a charming plot; a story about love with a happy ending... poor boy meets rich girl and falls in love. Naturally there are com- plications but in the end, with a little help from a roguish but engaging quack and his elixir, the boy gets the girl and they live happily ever after. The production features two casts of soloists appearing on alternate performances. They were chosen from almost 100 applicants from all over Europe besides Malta. Manoel Theatre CEO Ray Attard stated, "We have made great efforts and invest- ments in nurturing local opera and we are very happy to be producing this exciting new production with an, almost, all locally based creative team. We are also confident that we have chosen the best singers for the roles and that the opera will prove to be a great success both lyrically and dramatically." Among the renowned Maltese artists playing the main roles are Cliff Zammit Stevens (alternating with Matteo Mezzaro) in the role of Nemorino and Francesca Aquilina and Rosabelle Bianchi who alternate in the role of Giannetta. Madina Karbeli and Shoushik Barsoumian share the role of Adina, Philippe- Nicolas Martin and Valdis Jansons play Belcore and Emilio Marcucci and Luciano Miotto play Dulcamara. Supporting the soloists is the Manoel Theatre Opera Chorus which is made up of some of the top opera talent we have on the Island. The orchestra is the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Philip Walsh. Director, Denise Mulholland com- mented, "The characters are a delight and the story is captivating. It is a fairy-tale which fills you with joy. Our mission with this piece, which is set on the Amalfi coast in the 1950s, is to transport the audience back to that nostalgic time when the sun always shone, when the days were long and when there was always an adventure just waiting to be discovered". Incidentally, one previous produc- tion of L'Elisir d'Amore at Manoel Theatre, featured a young Joseph Calleja at the start of his career in the part of Nemorino. If what happened next is anything to go by, it is surely enough incentive to watch this production if only to say "I was there". Performances are on March 12, 13, and 15 at 19:30 with a pre-opera talk for ticketholders at 18:45. Bookings: www.teatrumanoel.com.mt, book- ings@teatrumanoel.com.mt or tel: 2124 6389 Cliff Zammit Stevens Francesca Aquilina Luciano Miotto Madina Karbeli Matteo Mezzaro Philip Walsh Philip Nicholas Martin Shoushik Barsoumian Vadis Jansons