Anna Livia Dublin International Opera Festival 2008
Published 3rd Sep 2008 by Felix Pellefigues

For your pleasure, an operatic feast awaits you with Verdi’s Rigoletto, arguably his finest opera, and Samson & Dalila, the exquisitely tuneful work by Saint-Saëns. Please join us in September from the 7th to the 14th for what we guarantee will be a most memorable experience. Venue: Gaiety Theatre.

RIGOLETTO by Giuseppe Verdi
(To be sung in Italian)
7th, 9th, 11th, 13th September 2008
Curtain-up 7.30 p.m.
Rigoletto was the first of Verdi’s “middle period” which produced his most popular works. Its combination of melodic richness and dramatic effectiveness has proved irresistible. It is entirely memorable and has, from the very first performance, always achieved great popularity.
For Rigoletto we are delighted to present Australian born
David Wakeham who has sung the role of the jester with
great success throughout Europe. Our Gilda will be the beautiful American soprano Talise Trevigne who is making a great name for herself in the U.S. in roles such as Lucia, Violetto, and Pamina and she will be coupled with Scott Piper, a young American tenor who has sung the role of the Duke with great success in the U.S.
Our Irish artists will be led by the young mezzo, Sharon Carty as Maddalena together with Alison Dunne as Giovanna, Brendan Collins as Marullo, Jamie Rock as Count Ceprano and Joan O’Malley as Countess Ceprano. We also welcome back Peter McBrien as Monterone and Brian Hoey as Borza.

SAMSON & DALILA By Camille Saint-Saëns
(To be sung in French)
8th, 10th, 12th, 14th September 2008
Because of its biblical subject, the opera was banned by the French Authorities and was first produced in Germany. It was finally presented in France in 1890. A long time popular favourite in the world opera houses, it attracted many of the leading singers of the day such as Caruso at the Metropolitan in 1915.
For Samson & Dalila we have Mark Lundberg, a wonderful Heldentenor from the U.S. who is making a big name for himself both on the operatic and concert platforms in the Americas. Our Dalila is the talented young Russian, Anna Viktorova, who is on the way to becoming the next Olga Borodina, and I am delighted to welcome back Pierre-Yves Pruvot as the High Priest of Dagon, following his great success as Zurga in the Pearl Fishers and hailed as the “voice of the Anna Livia Festival 2007”.

369 Views