Scottish Opera’s revival of Don Pasquale is an extraordinary show of great bel canto singing and comic fun

United KingdomUnited Kingdom Donizetti, Don Pasquale: Soloists, Chorus of Don Pasquale and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera / Stuart Stratford (conductor), Theatre Royal Glasgow, 26.10.2024. (GT)

David Stout as Don Pasquale © Jane Barlow

Production:
Stage direction, Sets and Costumes – André Barbe and Renaud Doucet
Lighting designer – Guy Simard

Cast:
Don Pasquale – David Stout
Norina – Simone Osborne
Ernesto – Filipe Manu
Doctor Malatesta – Josef Jeongmeen Ahn
Notary – Jonathan Forbes Kennedy
Maid – Frances Morrison-Allen
Cook – Steven Faughey
Porter – Jonathan Sedgwick

This is a revival of a French-Canadian-directed and designed update of Donizetti’s 1843 comedy which has been widely popular with hugely successful showings in Europe and America. That Scottish Opera should open their 2024/25 season with two comedies – Britten’s Albert Herring (review here) and Donizetti’s Don Pasquale shows considerable foresight, for rather than presenting an operatic tragedy, and instead offering a comedy masterpiece, we can forget of today’s world of heartbreaking realities – and, if only for a few hours – enjoy a world of fun and excitement. Indeed, Scottish Opera in its recent productions has consistently assured us of top-class singing and acting.

As early as September 1849, Don Pasquale was first heard in Scotland at the old Theatre Royal in Glasgow by a touring Italian company. It wasn’t until 1927 that Don Pasquale was heard again when the Carl Rosa Company visited Edinburgh and Glasgow. Sadler’s Wells brought Donizetti’s comic masterpiece to Scotland in 1963 with Howell Glynne in the title role, Malatesta was John Heddle Nash and Norina sung by Jenifer Eddy. Only once has Don Pasquale been heard at the Edinburgh International Festival when the San Carlo company from Naples visited with Fernando Corena as Pasquale, Alfredo Kraus was Ernesto, Renato Capecchi was Malatesta, and Norina was Gianna d’Angelo. The conductor was Alberto Erede. English Touring Opera brought the opera to the Perth Festival in 2010, in all Scottish Opera has staged Don Pasquale on four occasions, notably in 1972, under Alexander Gibson when Sheila Armstrong was Norina in her debut here, there were piano accompanied tours in 1999 in which Alfie Boe was Ernesto in his sole appearance with Scottish Opera. In the premiere 2014 staging, the conductor was Francesco Corti in a cast which included Alfonso Antoniozzi in the title role, Aldo di Toro was Ernesto, Nicholas Lester was Malatesta and Ruth Jenkins-Robertson was Norina.

Based on a libretto in the drama giocoso style by Giovanni Ruffini and Donizetti himself, the complex narrative is of the old Pasquale searching for a young wife. Doctor Malatesta passes off Norina (a widow whom Pasquale’s nephew Ernesto is in love with) as his younger sister Sofronia just out of a convent and a prospective bride for Pasquale. Yet, as one would expect, it is no more than a scheme to get hold of the old man’s money. After the wedding, by Act III, the pensione has been redecorated and Pasquale is bankrupt. Pasquale’s staff complain about their new workload and when Pasquale discovers his new wife’s rendezvous with her lover Ernesto, he appeals to Malatesta for help, and on discovering their true love for each other, Pasquale relents, forgives Ernesto and Norina, and everything ends happily.

At the beginning of the overture, a projected fotoromanzo comic strip revealed Don Pasquale’s love for cats and his tragic allergy to them. It set the tone for the show as the screen lifted to reveal the old degenerate Pasquale ensconced in his drabby pensione surrounded by dozens of terracotta cats. In the background are his slumbering porter, the maid lighting a cigarette, and a cook leaning against the door. A highlight of the show was the servants’ silent, yet often wildly funny cameos. Above the scene hangs a line of washing that rises in Act II to reveal the street scene outside. Guy Simard’s subtly effective lighting enhanced the quickly moving scenes on the stage, most noticeably in the opening scene, allowing us to see Pasquale reclined in his pensione and the Roman streets above.

I attended the last evening in the run of four performances in Glasgow, and the theatre was packed – a good sign as there was a Royal Scottish National Orchestra subscription concert on the same evening. In the title role, David Stout was outstanding throughout, from his basso buffo singing in the opening passage; he splendidly characterised the greedy and lecherous owner of a low-end Roman pensione. The Norina of Simone Osborne was a late change for the indisposed Stacey Alleaume. Except for her opening aria (‘So anch’io la virtù magica’) which seemed underpowered and lacked projection, she soon came good, revealing a delightfully light soprano and terrific acting as she conjured the delicate trickery to confuse Don Pasquale into marrying her as Sofronia, (‘I diamanti presto presto) in Act III.

The cast of Scottish Opera’s Don Pasquale © Jane Barlow

The Ernesto of Filipe Manu was another singer making his debut here, and I found his tenor somewhat wanting – at times bleating – yet his portrayal overall was exceptional, especially in (‘Tornami a dir che m’ami’) with Norina in the final act. Malatesta was superbly portrayed by the baritone of Josef Jeongmeen Ahn – yet another in the prodigious line of singers emerging from South Korea, his (‘Bella siccome un angelo’) was remarkable with his skilfully false rallentando deceiving Pasquale at the end. Of the non-singing parts, Frances Morrison-Allen as the Maid was extraordinary, especially in her little dance during Pasquale’s arioso of his hopes of marrying Sofronia. These touches of light comedy were marvellous in adding to the wit and mimicry of the show. This was manifested by the Porter, Notary and the Cook linking up with all the comic antics on the stage.

The orchestra under Stuart Stratford was magnificent, especially in the delightful passages by the solo trombone of Cillian Ó Ceallacháin and the cornett of Andrew Connell-Smith in Act II evincing all the evocative colours of bel canto opera. The costumes were all colourful and appropriate to each character, while the chorus in their singing and choreography assisted in making this performance a night to remember.

This production tours to Inverness, Edinburgh and then to Aberdeen on November 21. This is a joy to watch and listen to and music lovers are recommended to book up as soon as possible.

Gregor Tassie

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