Roberto Devereux
Melbourne Opera completes its acclaimed Donizetti Tudor trilogy with the exciting Australian premiere of Roberto Devereux, starring Australian diva Helena Dix as the aging Queen Elizabeth, following her huge success in Lohengrin earlier this year and direct from engagements at New York's Metropolitan Opera House. The company has assembled a superb supporting cast including Henry Choo as Roberto, Danielle Calder as Sara, Phillip Calcagno as the Duke of Nottingham, Jason Wasley as Lord Cecil and Eddie Muliaumaseali’i as Sir Walter Raleigh.
Suzanne Chaundy directs and Greg Hocking and Raymond Lawrence conduct the superb Melbourne Opera Chorus and Orchestra.
Based very loosely on the career of the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, Donizetti and his librettist Salvatore Cammarano created for the opera a version of the eternal quadrilateral.
Elizabeth the Queen loves Robert, the Earl, who loves Sara, Elizabeth's favourite, who is married to Nottingham, Elizabeth's counselor and Devereux's best friend. Eventually, Robert's refusal to renounce Sara will lead to his death, as a jealous Elizabeth refuses to pardon him for treason, despite Nottingham's pleading on his behalf (unaware that his wife and Devereux are a number).
CAST
Queen Elizabeth I
Roberto Devereux
Duchess Sarah
Lord Nottingham
Lord Cecil
Sir Walter Raleigh
A Page
Servant
CHORUS
Emilia Bertolini
Ariel Chou
Chris Cocklin
Maddie Crombie
Alicia Groves
Susan Halls
Angela Hennel
Lavinia Ionescu
Maree Macmillan
Natalie Reid
Shimona Thevathasan
Erin Towns
Cecily Woodberry
Helena Dix
Henry Choo
Danielle Calder
Phillip Calcagno
Jason Wasley
Eddie Muliaumaseali'i
Finn Gilheany
Adan Jon
Andrew Alesi
Ian Cook
Paul Dernelley
Andrew Dickinson
Finn Gilheany
Adam Jon
Peter Hanway
Geoff King
Matthew Lowe
David Morley
Robert Moroni
George Opritescu
Matthew Phillips
Cameron Sibly
Robert Van Keulen
David Woodberry
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