Verdi's The Sicilian Vespers
Christof Loy (stage director), Paolo Carignani (conductor) – With Barbara Haveman (Hélène), Burkhard Fritz (Henri) and Alejandro Marco-Buhrmester (Guy de Montfort)
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Cast
Christof Loy — Stage director
Thomas Wilhelm — Choreographer
Johannes Leiacker — Set designer
Ursula Renzenbrink — Costume designer
Bernd Purkrabek — Lighting
Barbara Haveman — Hélène
Burkhard Fritz — Henri
Alejandro Marco-Buhrmester — Guy de Montfort
Bálint Szabó — Jean Procida
Livia Aghova — Ninetta
Jeremy White — Sire de Béthune
Christophe Fel — Comte de Vaudremont
Fabrice Farina — Daniéli
Hubert Francis — Thibault
Roger Smeets — Robert
Rudi De Vries — Mainfroid
Barbara Spitz — Dancer
Program notes
This superb version of The Sicilian Vespers was staged by Christof Loy at the Het Muziektheater in Amsterdam in 2010. The performance stars Barbara Haveman, Livia Ághová and Burkhard Fritz, while Paolo Carignani conducts the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest.
The Sicilian Vespers is an opera in five acts by Verdi, and was performed for the very first time at the Paris Opera on June 13th 1855 as part of the 1855 Universal Exposition. Although this work followed three of Verdi's biggest successes—Rigoletto, Il Trovatore and La Traviata—The Sicilian Vespers never reached the same level of popularity as its predecessors.
Verdi’s opera recounts the historic event of the "Sicilian Vespers", when during Easter in 1282 A.D., the Sicilian population rose up against King Charles of Anjou. The staging by Christof Loy modernizes the opera, with armor and other 13th-century props replaced by costumes of different eras. Apart from the red curtain and choirs, the staging consists entirely of videos projected on a screen. The leading vocal roles are sung by Barbara Haveman, Livia Ághová and Burkhard Fritz, accompanied by the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Paolo Carignani.
Photo © Monika Ritterhaus
