Organization

Conductor

Arturo Alvarado

Vorarlberger Landestheater

Stage director

Teresa Rotemberg

Set designer

Sabina Moncys

Costume designer

Lighting designer

Arndt Rössler

Dramaturge

Ralph Blase

Singer

Soprano

Eva Bodorová

Mary Stuart

Sofia Soloviy

Elizabeth

Tenor

Hyunduk Kim

Robert, Earl of Leicester

Bass

Andrii Ganchuk

George Talbot

Mezzo-soprano

Lucija Varsic

Anna Kennedy

Gabriel Alexander Wernick

Lord William Cecil

Others

Bregenzer Festspielchor

Orchestra

Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg

Maria Stuarda -  (Mary Stuart)

Bregenz

Austria

Landestheater

Grosses Haus

Public

Approved

“There is perhaps no woman who has been drawn in such a different way, now as a murderess, now as a martyr, now as a foolish schemer, now as a heavenly saint.” Stefan Zweig

Using the means of bel canto, Donizetti created a highly emotional music that brings the antagonism of Maria Stuart and Queen Elizabeth to the stage: the conflict between two women who are looking for the right balance between politics and humanity for their actions. Written in 1834 as a commissioned work under extreme time pressure, MARIA STUARDA is one of Donizetti's most popular operas today. The work was initially anything but lucky: in Naples it was censored by the authorities while the rehearsals were still ongoing, and then even the censored version was personally banned by King Ferdinand II. Performed in an altered form and under a new name, but canceled after just one season and never shown again in this version. For the Milan Scala again
Lyrically softened and musically revised, only to be canceled after only six performances: the sick and hoarse Maria Malibran simply sang along with the censored text passages of her title role at the premiere out of protest. MARIA STUARDA continued to be played here and there for a few years, but eventually fell into oblivion.

It was not until 1958 in Bergamo that the opera, which takes up Schiller's template in a greatly simplified form and focuses on the last days of the dethroned Queen of Scotland, was rediscovered. And in 1965, in Stuttgart, the German-language version also received frenetic applause.

Jealousy and revenge, intrigues, abused trust and a bitter struggle for power, a martyrical heroine: MARIA STUARDA is not only of outstanding musical quality, but also stands out from Donizetti's otherwise rather cheerful work thanks to her tragedy.

English

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble