July 15 – “L’elisir d’amore” – opera by Gaetano Donizetti – goes on stage at the National Grand Theatre in Beijing July 9-12. On Monday June 29 (at 6pm), Giuseppe Cuccia, a consultant for the western opera component of the NCPA, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, presents the work at the Theatre of the Italian Institute of Culture. The appointment is part of a series of seminars entitled “Meetings with the Italian opera” – all held at the Beijing Italian Institute of Culture by Cuccia. While it may be a legend that Donizetti composed L’elisir d’amore in only fifteen, it is certain that the Italian artist did not have much time to complete the work, hastily commissioned to him by Alessandro Lanari (impresario of the Teatro of Milan Canobbiana) after another composer dropped out of writing the new piece for the 1832 spring season 1832. To complete his assignment on time, Donizetti immediately resorted to the most famous librettist of the time: Felice Romani. (Red)
