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[caption id="attachment_49880" align="alignleft" width="200"] Ashley Bell.[/caption]
Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts in collaboration with Divaria Productions and Spanish opera company Rioja Lirica will present Donizetti's classic comedic masterpiece, “Don Pasquale,” a night of opera, on Saturday, April 16 at 8 p.m.
In this version of “Don Pasquale,” while remaining true to the magnificent music of Donizetti, Divaria Production attempts to distance themselves from the classic image of the romantic opera to situate it in an a temporal and minimalist world and highlight the essential spirit of the music and of each of the characters. They transform one of the most classic operas into a musical comedy, maintaining the essence of a story that, although written 172 years ago, still hints of modern day issues.
The opera tells the story of the miserly Uncle Don Pasquale, intent on disinheriting his nephew Ernesto if he refuses to marry one of his uncle's chosen suitors. To spite his nephew, Don Pasquale decides to take his own wife, Sofronia, the sister of his good friend Doctor Malatesta. Unbeknownst to him, however, Sofronia is actually Ernesto's lover Norina in disguise, who plans to teach him a lesson.
With his "deep, warm bass voice and an informed musicality" Jorge Ocasio (Don Pasquale) is quickly becoming a favorite of audiences and music critics. Most recently, Mr. Ocasio had the honor of singing as the cantor for His Holiness Pope Francis in the nationally televised Vespers mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. He also reprised “Dulcamara” in a company début with Wichita Grand Opera and sang his first “Don Pasquale” in New York. Ashley Bell (Norina) has performed as a soloist in the United States, Italy, Spain, France and Russia. Recent performances have included Donna Anna in “Don Giovanni” and Fiordiligi in “Cosi Fan Tutte” in the Narni Festival in Italy with the Orchestra Filarmonica di Roma, and Norina in “Don Pasquale” in Spain
Tickets are $25 side section, $35 middle section, $50 premium and available online at baystreet.org or by calling the Bay Street Theater Box Office at (631) 725-9500.
on Apr 11, 2016