Vancouver Opera: Don Pasquale at Queen Elizabeth Theatre

A new season of love, vibrance, and arias descend on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre courtesy of the Vancouver Opera! The performing arts company is eager to share three of history's most celebrated operas in lively detail, with its production of Don Pasquale set for the month of February. This bel canto classic will have its second showing on the 18th, a Sunday night that's sure to enthrall audiences with an ingenious merger of symphonies, hilarity, and class commentary.

"We are excited to present an incredible season of opera classics to expose our great art form to new audiences… Each of our productions feature returning directors who wowed VO audiences in the past and understand the magic and passion that courses through these stories," Tom Wright, Vancouver Opera's General Director, said in an earlier press statement.

Reimagined in striking Technicolor, this rendition of Don Pasquale is directed by Renaud Doucet, with set designs and costumes by his professional partner, André Barbe, and lighting by Guy Simard. Maestro Jacques Lacombe will ascend the podium to conduct the resident orchestra and choir in three acts of decadent melodies from the original 1843 compositions by Gaetano Donizetti. The exhibition will also revive Giovanni Ruffini's libretto, which originated from the 1810 libretto for Stefano Pavesi's Ser Marcantonio.

Witness the feud between the eponymous Don Pasquale and his nephew Ernesto in a comically escalating series of inheritance drama. The aging bachelor refuses to acknowledge his kin's relationship with the young widow Norina and attempts to disinherit him by procuring a bride of his own. But in a devilish bait-and-switch scheme, Norina enlists the aid of Dr. Malatesta, Ernesto's good friend, to con the Don into surrendering his stance. This operatic masterclass is an evocative examination of intergenerational conflict, jealousy, and reconciliation that will have you in sidesplitting stitches.

CAST
Gregory Dahl (Baritone) as Don Pasquale
Josh Lovell (Tenor) as Ernesto
Elizabeth Polese (Soprano) as Norina
Phillip Addis (Baritone) as Dr. Malatesta

Listen in complete and utter awe as the all-star cast sends their voices soaring through the ceiling of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Sung in the original Italian, the production will project English titles above the stage for audiences to follow. The indoor performing arts venue offers a unique historical backdrop for the iconic opera buffa, with crisp acoustic precision and first-class comfort at your beckon. Simple words cannot do this experience justice, so make your reservations today for the Vancouver Opera's second presentation of Don Pasquale LIVE on Sunday, February 18th!