Don Pasquale

Gaetano Donizetti's Don Pasquale is an opera buffa in three acts, which had its world premiere in Paris in 1843. The small cast, the limited role of the chorus, and the realistic plot, the action of which may actually take place in a single room, make this work easily adaptable for a smaller production. The old and rich Don Pasquale is impatiently preparing for marriage. He falls into ridiculousness, which is the basic source of comedy in this opera—he allows himself to be deceived, he cannot assess the situation realistically, he fools around and loses the rest of his dignity. However, the opera does not ridicule the main character—the composer lightly and empathetically portrays the authentic need to love and be loved at any age.

The inspiration for the staging is the soap opera Dynasty. In Poland after 1989 it worked on the imagination of both adults and children gathered together in front of their TV sets. Although the 1980s depicted in Dynasty from today's perspective may seem as historical as the middle of the 19th century, the memory of these realities with their aesthetics and sensibility is equally strong for the older and younger part of the audience.

musical director, pianist: Olga Lemko
set and costume design: Julia Kosek
choreography: Diana Cristescu
lighting: Wiktor Kuźma
director's assistant: Bartłomiej Szczeszek

The opera will be presented in its original Italian with no surtitles.