Les Arts inaugurates its second season of subscription with 'Anna Bolena', with musical direction by Maurizio Benini and stage direction by Jetske Mijnssen

• Eleonora Buratto debuts in the lead role, accompanied by Alex Esposito (Enrico VIII), Silvia Tro Santafé (Giovanna Seymour) and Ismael Jordi (Lord Riccardo Percy)
• The Arts begins with this title, the trilogy that Donizetti will dedicate to 'The Tudors', which also includes 'Maria Stuarda' and 'Roberto Devereux'

Valencia (26.9.22). Les Arts inaugurates the subscription season with the premiere of Anna Bolena, by Gaetano Donizetti, with musical direction by Maurizio Benini and stage by Jetske Mijnssen, which opens on October 1, in the Main Hall.

Jesús Iglesias Noriega, artistic director of Les Arts, has presented this new production, accompanied by Maurizio Benini and Jetske Mijnssen, with which the 'Tudor Trilogy' begins in Valencia, the three operas that Donizetti will dedicate to the controversial Anglesa dynasty together with 'Maria Stuarda' and 'Roberto Devereux', i which will conclude in the 2024-2025 season.

“It is about an ambitious project, both musical and artistic, from the scope of the muntatge and the acting requirements of the book, to the second demanding score, reserved for the greatest veus of the bel canto repertoire, particularly for the soprano protagonist of the three works, battle knight of the great dives of each generation,” he explained.

Eleonora Buratto, acclaimed as one of the greatest bel canto repertoire in the world today, assumes in Les Arts the task of making her debut in the three challenging soprano roles that Donizetti will write: Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda and Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra.

The diva of Màntua, Iglesias Noriega has recalled, is going to captivate the Valencian public for the applauded performance she performed in Verdi's 'Requiem' under the direction of Daniele Gatti. Distinguished by her privileged timbre and exquisite elegance in her phrasing, she faces Valencia's latest challenges prior to her presentation in a paper, Anna Bolena, a reference for artists with Maria Callas, Montserrat Caballé, Leyla Gencer, Edita Gruberova and Mariella Devia.

A cast of first-rate soloists accompany the Italian in her debut: Alex Esposito, who returns after the praised performance of 'Les Contes D'Hoffmann' last season, plays Henry VIII; Silvia Tro Santafé, the Valencian interpreter with the greatest international presence, returns to Les Arts with 'Giovanna Seymour'; While Ismael Jordi, whom the Valencian public remembers for his several papers in 'Iphigénie en Tauride', 'La traviata' and 'Doña Francisquita', will sing the role of Lord Riccardo Percy.

Maurizio Benini, one of the most prestigious experts in 'bel cant', assumes the musical direction of the 'Tudor Trilogy' at Les Arts. Regular guest of the most prestigious opera houses, among them, the Metropolitan of New York, Paris Opera, Staatsoper of Vienna, Covent Garden of London, he debuts with the Choir of the Generalitat and the Orchestra of the Valencian Community with this work demanding vocally and orchestrally for the continuous dramatic tension that it presents.

Jetske Mijnssen signs this ambitious co-production of Les Arts with the Dutch National Opera of Amsterdam and the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, with scenery by Ben Baur, costumes by Klaus Bruns, lighting by Cor van den Brink and choreography by Lilian Stillwell, which will conclude with the premiere of the last of the titles of the trilogy, 'Roberto Devereux'.

The ascendant Dutch director is familiar with her psychological approach, who poses in this case the service of the complex and convulsive Tudor period and its six misfortunes protagonists in a complex emotional and theatrical experience.

In the recent premiere in Amsterdam, critics and the public will praise Mijnssen's mil·limètric work for portraying and involving the viewer in the claustrophobic and oppressive atmosphere of the court of the most absolute of the Anglian monarchs, in addition to the inclusion of a character with recurring silences and who advances the sequence of the titles of the saga Donizettiana: the young girl of Enric i Anna, the future Elizabeth I and last Tudor monarch.

Les Arts premieres 'Anna Bolena' on October 1, and the remaining performances will be released on October 4, 7, 10 and 13.