DON PASQUALE

is one of his best-loved operas and amuses the audience. The delightful quartet of characters is straight out of commedia dell’arte: the elderly baron Don Pasquale marries the mischievous Norina, who has her eye on Ernesto, her amorous lover, providing a perfect opportunity for a beautiful serenade. The clever Doctor Malatesta plays the role of Harlequin, his plan proves effective, and the lamb turns into a dragon. And what a slap in the face both for the elderly husband and for the minds of audiences at the time!

This madcap comedy is not devoid of emotion, and we end up being touched by a Don Pasquale who is fooled and overwhelmed by the modern world, but who is, all in all, very human. Caricature slips into social satire. After two centuries of opera buffa, this work represents the peak of this art form in 1843, nonetheless infused with a modern touch that complexified its structure, with Donizetti making his characters his contemporaries so that his audience could identify with them.

Director Tim Sheader also holds up a mirror to us today, with his highly entertaining vision inspired by a current TV series. The title role succumbs to the siren song of an attempt to preserve youthfulness, as the big boss of the company bearing his name and living an irresistibly kitsch home. It’s been over 20 years since Don Pasquale was last performed at the Opéra de Lausanne, which for the first time welcomes conductor Giuseppe Grazioli who is a specialist of this repertoire.