'Mary Stuart' 7 / Donizetti * ROSALIND PLOWRIGHT * DAVID RENDALL [in English]

Seventh of selected extracts from the opera about Mary of Scots, the Catholic Queen, and rival for the English throne to her cousin, Elizabeth I. 'Mary Stuart' is excellently acted and sung here in English (with fabulous period costumes!) at the Coliseum (English National Opera). The text takes liberties with certain historical facts especially as regards the character of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and a few other things.

Act III. (Previous segment with argument between Leicester and Elizabeth has been omitted.) Elizabeth has decided to condemn Mary to death and signs her death warrant, to Leicester's desperate frustration. (In reality, Leicester was, indeed, sympathetic to Mary's cause for a while, until such time that he decided her continued living presence did pose a threat to Elizabeth's retaining the throne.) Meanwhile, Mary ponders her grim situation, as well as that of her supporters. Then William Cecil arrives at Fotheringhay Castle ....

'Mary Stuart' was the second of three operas that British mezzo-soprano Dame Janet Baker performed during her year of farewell to the operatic stage. This performance was in 1982.
.
Music: Gaetano Donizetti
Libretto: Giuseppe Bardari
English Translation: Tom Hammond
Producer (Director): John Copley
Designer: Desmond Heeley

CAST
Mary Stuart . . . Janet Baker
Elizabeth . . . Rosalind Plowright
Earl of Leicester . . . David Rendall

Charles Mackerras, conductor
Chorus & Orchestra of the English National Opera

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To purchase the complete DVD, visit these sites (among others):

http://www.amazon.com/Donizetti-Plowright-Tomlinson-Mackerras-National/dp/B00...

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=6839107

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-Stuart-English-Opera-Chorus/dp/B0007X9T7A

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mary
• Stuart
• Maria
• Stuarda
• Donizetti
• English
• National
• Opera
• ENO
• Janet
• Baker
• Rosalind
• Plowright
• David
• Rendall
• John
• Copley
• Charles
• Mackerras

[mcpetropolis]

Wonderful! Thank you for this gift more.

[mariandelochs]

You're so welcome! :)