The Palau de les Arts makes its first foray into Russian opera with Prokofiev's Betrothal in the Monastery

15.01.2008

The Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía makes its first foray into Russian opera with Obrucheniye v Monastïre (Betrothal in the Monastery) by Sergei Prokofiev, as part of the coliseum's commitment to offering the most complete and varied operatic program.
Betrothal at the Monastery is a successful and vibrant production from England's Glyndebourne Festival, directed by renowned English theatre director Daniel Slater. Dmitri Jurowski, son of the celebrated conductor Michail Jurowski, will lead the Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana in this four-act opera.

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) is considered by experts to be one of the leading figures of 20th-century music, and his opera *Marriage in a Monastery* is among the finest comic operas in the Russian repertoire. Composed in 1940s Russia, Prokofiev was forced by censorship to choose themes as far removed as possible from contemporary reality and the demands of “socialist realism.”

The play "Esponsales en el Monasterio" will premiere on January 26th and will be performed on January 30th, February 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 10th. The Palau de les Arts announces that tickets are still available for this production and can be purchased online at www.lesarts.com, by phone at +34 961 975 900, or at the opera house box office during its regular hours: Monday to Friday, from 12 noon to 8:30 pm.

The action of this comic opera takes place in 18th-century Seville, like Rossini's Il barbiere di Siviglia and Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro. For the plot, Prokofiev used recurring elements in this type of comedy, such as expected mistakes of identity, confusion between young lovers, characters like the old man, the rich man, and the libertine, as well as conflict with the parents.

The libretto is an adaptation of Richard Brinsley Sheridan's play, The Dueña, written by Prokofiev himself and Mira Mendelson. It is a comedy set in Seville during the English Restoration period, focusing on the character of Don Jerónimo, who has betrothed his daughter Luisa against her will to the wealthy fishmonger Mendoza.

The cast features renowned performers of the Russian repertoire, including Liubov Petrova (Luisa), who recently played the role of the Queen of the Night in Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of Mozart's Die Zauberföte. The remaining roles are sung by Viacheslav Voynarovsky (Don Jerónimo), Ales Jenis (Fernando), and Alexandra Durseneva (Dueña).