This maelstrom of madness and delusional behaviour, which fills the plot of Un giorno di regno with twists and turns, is a rare thing: a comic opera by Verdi. Written by the composer in his mid-twenties at a time of great personal distress – Verdi’s wife Margherita died the year of its creation (1840), this light-hearted comedy features an impressive virtuosic vocal score. Despite Verdi’s youth, his dramatic skills in portraying character show early promise, along with a flare for rhythmic vitality and glorious composition for the voice. Garsington Opera’s acclaimed production by Christopher Alden is accompanied by the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Chris Hopkins and streamed by Slippedisc courtesy pf OperaVision. Henry Waddington performs in the role of Il Barone di Kelbar, Joshua Hopkins as Il Cavaliere di Belfiore and Grant Doyle as La Rocca.
The Plot: A tale of thwarted love and mistaken and assumed identities, this comedy revolves around an ordinary man becoming ‘King for a Day’. Cavaliere di Belfiore has, to distract attention from the genuine monarch, assumed the identity of King Stanislas of Poland, and arrived with much pomp at the castle of Baron Kelbar near Brest. There he finds himself in the middle of preparations for two weddings: the baron’s daughter Giulietta is, most unwillingly, to marry the elderly La Rocca, while a local military official is hoping for the hand of the Marchesa del Poggio. Can ‘King Stanislas’ use his regal power in time to disentangle these unhappy betrothals before his true identity is revealed?
Streamed on Friday 11th April 2025 at 1900 CET / 1800 London / 1300 New York
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