Donizetti wrote 70 operas. Want to watch one you haven’t seen?

 Any A-Z of Donizetti’s 70 or so operas must eventually come to Zoraida di Granata, but actually, it belongs much higher up the list: a very early work, it was his first big success. The composer was only 24 when Zoraida di Granata was premiered at Rome’s Teatro Argentina in January 1822, although the opera was nearly born under an unlucky star, since the tenor originally cast as Abenamet fell fatally ill during rehearsals. Only a handful of Donizetti’s operas hold a place in the mainstream repertoire, but our appreciation of them has been radically changed by a better acquaintance with some of the lesser-known titles. The music shows the composer, if still under the influence of his teacher Simone Mayr, absorbing the brilliance of Rossini.

Slippedisc, courtesy of  OperaVision, is delighted to host its first stream from the 2023 Wexford Festival Opera, which has produced more works by Gaetano Donizetti than any other opera festival in the world, only topped by Donizetti Opera Festival (Bergamo, Italy). In particular, WFO is credited with the rediscovery of L’elisir d’amore, in 1952, which has subsequently found its way into the operatic canon. The production is conducted by Diego Ceretta and directed by Bruno Ravella, several of whose productions (notably from Garsington) have delighted opera audiences. Zoraida is sung by Claudia Bole, Almuzir by Konu Kim and Abnamet by Matteo Mezzaro.

The Plot: the action takes place during a Spanish attack on the Moorish capital of Grenada, where Almuzir has deposed and killed the legitimate King and usurped his throne. Almuzir is in love with Zoraida, but she is already betrothed to general Abenamet. Machinations ensue and, though Almuzir tries to dispose of Abenamet, the general outwits the ruler by disguising himself as an unknown knight. Will Abenamet finally win the day and the hand of his beloved Zoraida?

Available from Friday  3rd November 2023 at 1900 CET / 1800 London / 1300 NY