tue 19/03/2024

Il Turco in Italia, Garsington Opera | reviews, news & interviews

Il Turco in Italia, Garsington Opera

Il Turco in Italia, Garsington Opera

UK Gold in a field, anyone?

Don Geronio (Geoffrey Dalton) catches Fiorilla (Rebecca Nelson) and Selim (Quirijn de Lang) in flagrante: Oo-er missus
What would opera do without the postwar British sitcom? Garsington Opera's new production of Rossini's Il Turco in Italia at Wormsley last night saw yet another opera buffa being sold to 21st-century man using the gestural language of 'Allo 'Allo and Fawlty Towers. It was as easy and enjoyable as a night in with UK Gold - but much nicer, for we were surrounded by fields and forests.

What would opera do without the postwar British sitcom? Garsington Opera's new production of Rossini's Il Turco in Italia at Wormsley last night saw yet another opera buffa being sold to 21st-century man using the gestural language of 'Allo 'Allo and Fawlty Towers. It was as easy and enjoyable as a night in with UK Gold - but much nicer, for we were surrounded by fields and forests.

By Act II they found themselves raiding the CBBC cupboard of theatrical tricks

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I was at this performance last night with my husband and we found it extremely enjoyable! We were blown away by the creativity of the production (I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I won't mention my favorite thing about the scenery), the staging was excellent and there was never a dull moment! I am a regular patron of the arts, and I haven't laughed so much in an opera in ages and ages - it was delightful! The vocal quality and acting ability displayed by the principals (specifically by the three leads: Nelson, De Lang and Dalton) were simply superb. Highlights for us were the duet between the two men in the second half (hilarious) and Ms. Nelson's final aria (Wow!). What a quality production!

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