A splendid, new production of Un ballo in maschera takes as its cue the glamour and the historical flavour of its period court setting, as director Mario Martone and set designer Sergio Tramonti bring their flair in film and theatre in spectacular form to the Covent Garden stage. Music Director Antonio Pappano makes a further foray into the Italian repertory with Verdi’s ‘most operatic of operas’, conducting an impressive cast that has Karita Mattila returning after Arabella last Season to play Amelia, who betrays her politician husband who in his turn betrays the king, her lover. In their role debuts, Marcelo Alvarez, a familiar interpreter of Verdi at Covent Garden, is the reforming Gustavus III [Riccardo], with Thomas Hampson as his friend Ankarstroem [Renato], who turns assassin out of jealousy. The cast is completed by Elisabetta Fiorillo in her House debut as Madame Arvidson [Ulrica], the fortuneteller whose prophecy proves deadly accurate, Camilla Tilling as the page, Oscar, and Giovan Battista Parodi as Count Ribbing.[/b][b][b][/b]

Conductor:
Antonio Pappano

Director:
Mario Martone

Set Designs:
Sergio Tramonti

Costume Designs:
Bruno Schwengi

Lighting:
tba