A Night of Italian Opera at the British Embassy Residence

The Argentine-British Community Council (ABCC)’s traditional opera night at the stately British Embassy residence continues to reinvent itself – after the previous single opera was converted into a medley of arias last year, producer Peter Macfarlane has again innovated with the halfway house of three minioperas.

“A Night of Italian Opera” took the form of a Gaetano Donizetti sandwich between two Giacomo Puccinis. The two Puccinis were his most Asiatic (also containing perhaps his most famous arias Un bel di vedremo and Nessun dorma) – Madame Butterfly and Turandot – while Donizetti added a lighter touch with L’Elisir d’Amore. All three pieces were intelligently condensed to give the impression of a complete opera with both arias and the standard connective tissue.

Singing, staging (in different salons of the residence) and costumes all immaculate. Six professional singers (sopranos Svetlana Volasenko and Laura Polverini, Nazareth Auffe, Alejandro Spies, Santiago Burgi and Fernando Grassi) rotated in the 11 roles of the three operas – not quite up to the greatest tenors and sopranos but not far behind. And, as this reviewer invariably points out, Macfarlane makes sure they not only sing but act. Grassi’s enthusiastic rendering of the quack Dr. Dulcamara in the Donizetti deserves a special mention.

Wined and dined after a splendid cocktail, a good time was had by all, making the most of Ambassador Mark Kent’s hospitality. Well worth the money, which the ABCC earmarked for charity and the Fundación Garrahan.