MARIA STUARDA

About the show

The vocals command the spotlight in this majestic drama centred on passion, power and murder. Maria Stuarda presents a fierce and virtuosic vocal duel between two divas vying for the love of the same man, epitomising bel canto at its finest. The Queen of England finds no peace until the head of her Scottish rival is severed from her body. Maria Stuarda shines as a dazzling gem in Donizetti's collection of operas about the Tudor period in England. Based on Friedrich Schiller's drama Maria Stuart, the opera intertwines historical events and a fictional confrontation between two equally formidable women: The Protestant Queen Elizabeth I and her Catholic cousin, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots. The love affair between Mary Stuart and the Earl of Leicester provides the ideal theme for a romantic opera. Tragically ironic, it is the earl's plea on behalf of Mary Stuart that incites Queen Elizabeth to issue the fatal death sentence for her arch-rival. This historical love triangle unfolds in a painterly set design with elegant period costumes created by set and costume designer Julia Hansen for Mariame Clément's production. Maria Stuarda is conducted by one of the most in-demand Italian opera conductors of his generation, Paolo Arrivabeni. Elisabeth Jansson and Gisela Stille from the Royal Danish Opera's soloist ensemble take on the challenging roles of the two queens. Featuring the award-winning Mexican-American tenor Galeano Salas in the pivotal role of Roberto, this production promises a spectacular vocal celebration. In collaboration with the Grand Théâtre de Genève. Maria Stuarda is performed in Italian with Danish and English supertitles.