The Royal Opera HousE Muscat continues its collaboration with the Rossini Opera Festival in presenting a series of one-act comic operas by the great nineteenth-century Italian composer, Gioachino Rossini, in order to give Muscat audiences the opportunity to learn more about Rossini’s work. While many may think of opera as tragic and serious, the comic or opera farsa genre is quite the opposite. Rossini infuses his comedic dramas with sparkling music, making the operatic experience even more delightful.
ROHM presented Rossini’s comic opera L’Occasione fa il Ladro (Opportunity Makes a Thief) in the 2017-18 season and La Scala di Seta (The Silken Ladder) in 2018-19. This season brings L’Inganno Felice (The Fortunate Deception), a farsa about the disappearance and return of Isabella, a beautiful duchess.
Before the action begins, we learn that the villainous Ormondo is in love with Isabella, who is happily married to Duke Bertrando. When Isabella rejected his advances, Ormondo spread vicious rumours about Isabella and arranged for her to be cast adrift at sea. Isabella is rescued by a local miner, Tarabotto who disguises her as his niece. The opera begins ten years after Isabella’s rescue when Duke Bertrando is on an official visit to inspect Tarabotto’s mines. The Duke arrives with Ormondo who recognises Isabella in spite of her disguise, but pretends not to, while the Duke, innocent of it all, believes his wife is the miner’s niece. And so, the fun begins.
The amazing young Venezuelan conductor, Diego Matheuz leads the Filarmonica Gioachino Rossini. The opera is directed by Graham Vick, a world-renowned director who brings out the best in performers. Omani extras will be privileged to learn from an outstanding director.
This production of Rossini’s L’Inganno Felice will be performed at ROHM’s House of Musical Arts on Thursday, February 27 and Saturday, February 29 at 7:00 pm. A Pre-Performance Talk will be held (for ticket holders only) one hour prior to each performance.
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