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La Scala's Maria Stuarda
"It's so good to see an opera of this quality at the cinema. We'd never usually get an opportunity like this."
Premiered at La Scala in 1835, Maria Stuarda opera is famous for the real-time battles that took place on stage during the rehearsals, and on opening night, between the two prima donnas. No such drama at this La Scala production, where the luminous Mariella Devia as Maria Stuarda and Anna Caterina Antonacci as Elisabetta came together in wonderful harmony.
Synopsis
Maria Stuarda is a tragic opera based on the lives of Mary, Queen of Scots and her powerful cousin Queen Elizabeth I. During the negotiations of a marriage proposal between Queen Elizabeth and the King of France, Lord Talbot intercedes on behalf of the royal prisoner Maria Stuart, imprisoned since fleeing from Scotland. The Queen is torn between sympathy for Maria and fear that she is plotting against her. As both queens engage in a power struggle, it becomes apparent that the final triumph will prove elusive to either one.
Opera in 2 acts
Composer: Gaetano Donizetti
Performed at: Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy
Conductor: Antonino Fogliani
Approximate duration: 2 hours 39 minutes plus one 15 minute intermission
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