“Success, victory, delirium… the public went wild. Everyone says they cannot recall such a triumph,” Gaetano Donizetti wrote to his wife on 26 December 1830. The composer already had around 30 operas under his belt, but none ever stirred such a euphoria. This time, his Anna Bolena captivated Milan, the rest of Italy and then Paris, Vienna, London…
Donizetti’s opera portrays the English queen near the end of her life. Henry VIII, bored, is already courting Jane Seymour (Italianised to Giovanna in the libretto) and is looking for an excuse to get rid of his wife. Rumours and intrigues start multiplying around Anne, leading to accusations of adultery, imprisonment and a death penalty. The libretto, allowing the composer to showcase stunning arias, duets and group scenes, culminates with a grand scene of the heroine’s descent into madness.
The tragic story, told through belcanto, comes to the Kraków Opera. We will see Katarzyna Oleś-Blacha and Karina Skrzeszewska in the demanding title role, written especially for the outstanding soprano Giuditta Pasta, likely at her own suggestion. Musical direction comes from Tomasz Tokarczyk, with direction from Magdalena Łazarkiewicz – it will be her first collaboration with the Kraków Opera. (Barbara Skowrońska)
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Realisation:
Direction: Magdalena Łazarkiewicz
Musical direction: Tomasz Tokarczyk
Set design: Paweł Dobrzycki
Costumes: Maria Balcerek
Choir preparataion: Jacek Mentel
Premiere: 25 May 2018
