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A compelling tale of palace intrigues and a love triangle, Maria Stuarda is a masterpiece of Italian romanticised poetic vision of the English imperial court in the Tudor era, loosely based on the historical figures Mary, Queen of Scots (1542-1587) and her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland (1533-1603).

Professor Lo Kingman will produce and direct this upcoming production with four live performances. Maestro Wilson Ng will return and join Musica Viva for his second project with the company. The six main roles will be performed by two casts of international and local artists in this operatic gem produced by an all-native creative team, including set designer Isaac Wong, costume designer Andrew Cheung, and lighting designer Zoe Cheung. The opera was last staged in Hong Kong in 1986.

As part of his Tudor trilogy, Donizetti wrote Maria Stuarda with the libretto by Giuseppe Bardari (1817-1861), based on Andrea Maffei’s translation of Friedrich Schiller’s 1800 play Maria Stuart. Fascinated by England in the Tudor period (1485-1603), Donizetti wrote three operas around three queens, namely Anna Bolena (1830), Maria Stuarda (1835) and Roberto Devereux (1837).

Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda is a tragedia lirica (tragic opera) with a troubled performance history even before its premiere. It was so fraught with misfortune that diverted audiences’ attention from the opera’s musical richness. Many think Maria Stuarda includes some of the composer’s best works.

Maria Stuarda premiered at La Scala in Milan in 1835 amid a climate of political censorship and suffered neglect shortly after. This operatic gem was revived in Bergamo, Italy in the mid-20th century and many performances were staged around the world subsequently.

In this operatic interpretation of a royal conflict, where 16th-century England meets 19th-century Europe, Donizetti sheathed the themes of honour, virtue, piety, pride and purity in mesmerising melodic beauty. Bardari’s libretto portrays Mary Stuart in a sympathetic light. The opera opens with the imprisonment of Mary in England in the late 16th century. The Queen of Scots has been accused of taking part in the murder of her husband Lord Darnley. She is also the prime suspect for plotting the assassination of Elizabeth I, whose right to the throne of England is questioned by the Catholics in the country. Elizabeth has affection for Robert, the Earl of Leicester, who happens to be in love with Mary. Elizabeth agrees to meet with Mary during a hunt as proposed by Leicester. However, her jealousy and anger get the better of her and grow ever stronger when Leicester pleads for Mary’s freedom. Leicester is emotionally torn between the two queens. The meeting of the two queens ends in an acrimonious quarrel. The opera is driven by the escalating tension between the three lead characters: what would Elizabeth do to safeguard the stability of the English throne? Is execution the inevitable ending awaiting Mary?