Operas
Our opera performances have been delighting Florentines and visitors to the region for many years - we are now in our 7th season. The performances have been critically acclaimed by the Washington Post and The Guardian newspapers - as well as by the many thousands we have welcomed in the audiences.
Performing each work are professional opera singers in full costume, chosen from the best Opera Houses in the area, and accompanied by one of our top virtuoso pianists.
In the beautiful and intimate setting of St Mark’s Church, only a few metres away from the performers, you will be enthralled by the dramtic stories unfolding before you. The performances are complete operas, apart from one or two slight adaptations to suit the intimate setting.
With drinks available to purchase in the interval, an English explanation of the opera at the beginning, and programme notes in Italian, English, French and German, the stage is set for a wonderful and memorable Night at the Opera in Florence!
This season’s operas: Tosca, La Traviata, Rigoletto, The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, Carmen, Macbeth, Il Trovatore
with background music from our soprano Silvana Froli singing Vissi d'arte, from Tosca:
Concerts
Highlights of Italian Opera & Neapolitan Songs, sung by a Soprano and/or Tenor/Baritone and piano works by Frederic Chopin, Franz Schubert, Franz Liszt, Claude Debussy - to highlight your stay in Florence.
Opera Summaries
TOSCA
The intimate setting of St. Mark’s is the perfect backdrop for Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece. This is the dramatic story depicting the love of the painter Cavaradossi for Floria Tosca, a famous singer. The opera, with five performers, ends tragically after the treachery of Scarpia, the Chief of Police.
LA TRAVIATA
The story, inspiration for the movies “Moulin Rouge” with Nicole Kidman or “Pretty Woman” with Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, La Traviata, “The Fallen One”, sees courtesan Violetta, falling in love with Alfredo Germont, a young nobleman, against the will of his father, Giorgio Germont. Performed by four singers.
RIGOLETTO
Rigoletto is the tragic story of the hunchbacked jester of the Duke of Mantua. Rigoletto, trying to hide his beautiful daughter Gilda from the duke and the world, is cursed by Count Monterone and plans to kill the duke with the help of the assassin Sparafucile. Performed by six of our company.
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
One of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most successful works, this comedy, sung by five performers, is full of misunderstanding and jokes. Figaro is due to marry Susanna. Both are servants of Count Almaviva, who also has his eye on Susanna. The Countess is not at all amused by the escapades of her husband and tries to trap the Count with the help of Susanna.
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
Performed by five singers, the most exciting opera by Gioachino Rossini, this comic masterpiece presents the most famous barber of all times, Figaro, who wants to help his friend Count Almaviva win the heart of Rosina, the ward of Doctor Bartolo, who himself wants to marry her.
CARMEN
The soldier Don José, the toreador Escamillo on one side and two women, the exciting Carmen and Micaela on the other. Don José helps Carmen to escape from prison but ends up getting deeper into trouble, not least because Escamillo is head-over-heels in love with Carmen too. Presented by four of our singers.
LA BOHÈME
One of the most touching love stories ever - Rodolfo the poet and Mimi the seamstress find each other in Paris. Life as a Bohemian is difficult, but with help from their friends Marcello the painter and Musetta the showgirl, they manage. However, Mimi’s fragile health and Rodolfo’s fierce temper leads the opera to take a dramatic turn.
IL TROVATORE
The inexorable fight between the troubadour Manrico and the Count di Luna for Leonora, the beautiful countess. The powerful gipsy Azucena, looking for revenge because of an old story between her mother and the Count di Luna’s father. Azucena wild emotions as the musical center of Verdi’s masterpiece, placed in the 15th century Zaragoza in Spain, performed by five singers
MACBETH
The play opens amidst thunder and lightning, the Three Witches greet the generals Macbeth and Banquo with prophecies. The first hails Macbeth that he shall be King hereafter, Banquo is informed that he shall be father a line of kings, though he himself will not be one. Macbeth writes to his wife about the Witches' prophecies. When King Duncan decides to stay at the Macbeths' castle at Inverness, Lady Macbeth hatches a plan to murder him and secure the throne for her husband. Over the centuries, this play by William Shakespeare has attracted the greatest actors in the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, performed by four singers.
ELISIR D’AMORE
Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the story of Tristan and Isolde, he is convinced that a magic potion will gain Adina's love for him. He is afraid she loves the self-important Sergeant Belcore who appears with his regiment and immediately proposes marriage to Adina in front of everyone. The traveling quack salesman, Dulcamara (the self-proclaimed Dr. Encyclopedia), arrives, selling his bottled cure-all to the townspeople. Nemorino innocently asks Dulcamara if he has anything like Isolde's love potion. Dulcamara says he does, selling it to Nemorino at a price matching exactly the contents of Nemorino's pockets.
St. Mark's Opera Company
Information and Reservations:
Tel (+39) 340 811 9192
E-mail
Performances Florence:
Via Maggio 18
I-50125 Florence/Italy
Residence:
S.S. 73 Ponente 216
I-53100 Siena / Italy
Partita Iva 01074040526
Photography by Emanuele Teobaldelli