Angela Beth Leson / Atsiliepimai

The composer seemed to care little for the conventions of the day--despite a libretto by Salvatore Cammarano, of LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR fame nearly 20 years earlier, as well as several other Donizettis and a couple of Verdis, including LUISA MILLER and a draft of IL TROVATORE. Yes, he titled the piece for the nominal heroine and included a mad scene (that was not very mad at all), but Malvina, a poignant, lithe-voiced Angela Leson, spends way too much time waiting in the wings or as part of a notable quartet, quintet or septet.