Sondra Radvanovsky is the Queen of England.
by Paul J. Pelkonen
She's royalty: Sondra Radvanovsky as Elizabeth I.
The last of Donizetti's informal "three queens" trilogy puts soprano Sondra Radvanovsky in the spotlight as Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. The opera recounts a tragic love triangle involving the queen, with fatal consequences for the tenor.In this new production by David McVicar, the story focuses on the court of Elizabeth and her clandestine romance with the Earl of Essex. Of Now, understand that this is not history, but a romantic fantasy based on the life of the Queen and what may or may not have been her famous love affair with a handsome nobleman.
Donizetti wrote these works as three seperate operas. However, in the 1970s Beverly Sills sang all three roles at the New York City Opera, promoting the works as a dramatic cycle. This year, the Met revives Anna Bolena and Maria Stuarda with Ms. Radvanovsky as Anne Boleyn and Mary, Queen of Scots, and unveils its new production of Roberto Devereux with the soprano as Elizabeth I.
All three of these operas are compelling works in their own right that stand on their own. Each features gorgeous soprano arias, dramatic duets for the Queen and her romantic rival, and many opportunities for the tenor to shine. The taut choral singing and ensemble writing that one associates with vintage Donizetti are also present. This is a composer at the height of his considerable powers and one of the finest examples of early 19th century Italian opera.