Afternoon on 3 - Thursday Opera Matinee - L'elisir d'amore

Louise Fryer presents a performance of Donizetti's sparkling comedy L'elisir d'amore recorded earlier this year at the Lyric Opera, Chicago. To the usual operatic plot of the tenor and the baritone being rivals for the love of the soprano this witty score adds a wonderful comic bass role - Dulcamara, the 'quack doctor' whose magic potion (the Elixir of Love of the opera's title) causes a goods deal of merriment and confusion. All ends happily, despite the moment when Nemorino contemplates Adina's 'furtive tear' - but that gives the opera its best-known aria 'Una furtiva lagrima'. The cast is headed by winner of the 2005 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, Nicole Cabell and the young Italian tenor Giuseppe Filianoti. They're joined by the possibly the finest comic bass in the world at the moment, Alessandro Corbelli and Bruno Campanella brings his huge experience of conducting this repertory. Good fun is guaranteed! Adina ..... Nicole Cabell, soprano Nemorino ..... Giuseppe Filianoti, tenor Dulcamara ..... Alessandro Corbelli, bass Belcore ..... Gabriele Viviani, baritone Giannetta ..... Angela Mannino, soprano Lyric Opera Chorus and Orchestra Bruno Campanella, conductor Followed by more performances marking the 80th birthday of the BBC Symphony Orchestra including: 4.15pm Debussy: Fantaisie for piano and orchestra Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, piano BBC Symphony Orchestra Yan-Pascal Tortelier, conductor BBC Symphony Orchestra 4.45pm Martinu: Skala (The Rock) BBC Symphony Orchestra Jiri Belohlavek, conductor.