I Masnadieri

Music by

Giuseppe Verdi

Bayerische Staatsoper

München, DE

2023

Saturday
January
21
19:00
Tuesday
January
24
19:30
Saturday
January
28
19:30

Cast

Massimiliano  Christian Van Horn
Carlo  Charles Castronovo
Francesco  Igor Golovatenko
Amalia  Lisette Oropesa
Arminio  Kevin Conners
Moser  Alexander Köpeczi
Rolla  Jonas Hacker

Conductor

Antonino Fogliani

Production

Johannes Erath

Set Designer

Kaspar Glarner

Lighting

Olaf Freese

Videographer

Lea Heutelbeck

Chorusmaster

Stellario Fagone

Director

Malte Krasting

About

Melodramma tragico in four acts - 1847

Composer Giuseppe Verdi. Libretto by Andrea Maffei after Friedrich Schiller's play „Die Räuber“.
In Italian with German and English surtitles. New Production.

Synopsis

I Masnadieri tells the story of Carlo, a man who abandons his familial responsibilities and falls in with a nefarious group of bandits (the "masnadieri"). This decision incurs the wrath of his brother, Francesco, who plots to seize control of the family's wealth in Carlo's absence. Meanwhile, Carlo's father, Massimiliano, is left to lament the loss of his son and slowly succumbs to illness. The woman whom Carlo left behind, Amalia, is also consumed by longing and uncertainty regarding his whereabouts.

Upon receiving false news of Carlo's death, the family and Amalia mourn his passing. However, upon learning that the reports were erroneous, Amalia rejoices while attempting to evade Francesco's attempts to force her into marriage. In a heinous act, Francesco buries Massimiliano alive, yet he is saved by the actions of a loyal servant. Amalia eventually comes across Carlo and his band of outlaws, but he keeps the truth of his criminal activities hidden from her, leading her to believe that he plans to return to his family.

Upon overhearing the servant tending to his gravely ill father, Carlo decides to seek revenge against Francesco. The latter has a terrifying vision of damnation and is visited by a priest, who informs him that he will be held accountable for his nefarious actions. Francesco's conscience catches up with him and he ultimately perishes. Carlo and Massimiliano share a poignant father-son duet, but the band of thieves demands Carlo's return to their ranks. He is unable to return to his family and reluctantly admits the truth to both his father and Amalia. Despite her desire to join him in a life of crime, he insists that she remain pure and chooses to kill her to protect her from the darkness he has come to know.

Lisette Oropesa talks with the Süddeutsche Zeitung about her career and I Masnadieri at the Bayerische Staatsoper

Interview - Süddeutsche Zeitung

Lisette Oropesa talks with the Süddeutsche Zeitung about her career and I Masnadieri at the Bayerische Staatsoper

 Interview  

Reviews

"I Masnadieri" im Nationaltheater: Weiblich neu

Lisette Oropesa überraschend viele Wesenszüge von Verdis späteren Frauenrollen: Sie bindet in den Cavatinen und Cabalettas die Spitzentöne zwar makellos pianissimo in die Linie ein.

Doch ihr Legato ist unter der zart lebendigen Oberfläche sehnig gestützt, die Melodien hält sie entschlossen fest und spannt sie in der Staatsoper zu enorm tragfähigen Bögen auf. Und Lisette Oropesas düstere Tiefe lässt an die Dramatik der Lady Macbeth denken, die wenige Monate vor den "Masnadieri" das Licht der Welt erblickt hatte.

—  Michael Bastian Weiß  •  Abendzeitung München

Oropesa y los 'Masnadieri'

Lisette Oropesa supo calmar al público, llevándolo consigo al mundo de colores del belcanto. El nombre de la soprano estadounidense era el reclamo principal de la tarde, pero su fingida fragilidad –que tanto agrada a los nostálgicos de una diva pasada en particular

—  Johannes Erath Múnich  •  Opera Actual

Lisette Oropesa y Giuseppe Verdi, una pareja bien avenida

El núcleo musical de esta ópera es la soprano, hecho que en este reparto se cumple doblemente, al ser Lisette Oropesa quien interpreta el papel de Amalia. Oropesa es una de las cada vez más raras representantes de una tradición que está siendo peligrosamente abandonada. Al oírla se tiene la impresión de estar frente a una de las grandes sopranos líricas italianas del siglo pasado. En esta Amalia su interpretación se centra en la musicalidad y en la interiorización del drama en la melodía. La intensidad se logra por medio de concentración más que de expansión. El secreto está, seguramente, en su al mismo tiempo sobria y muy matizada articulación. No hace concesiones al virtuosismo acrobático, si bien luce agilidades cuando es necesario. La línea melódica y el inspirado fraseo son diáfanos y ricos en matices. La voz de Oropesa, al margen de su abundancia de armónicos, de su naturalidad y de su aterciopelada belleza, ejerce una irresistible seducción. Su presencia escénica, siempre carismática, otorga al personaje una dignidad y una credibilidad sin fisuras.

—  J.G. Messerschmidt  •  Mundo Classico

Abel et Caïn enfants du Roi Lear

Reste la stupéfiante Lisette Oropesa qui en quelques années a conquis les premières places dans les rôles de soprano lyrique d’agilité. La voix est large, elle a une belle assise, dotée d’une technique de fer, au contrôle de tous les instants dans tout le registre, sachant filer les notes, mesurer le volume, doser les effets avec une attiutude scénique toujours adaptée, ne surjouant jamais, étonnamment naturelle. 

—  Guy Cherqui  •  Wanderer

Performance History

Lisette has given 14 performances as Amalia.