Dutch National Opera

Anna Bolena

Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)

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Dates

10-29 May 2022

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

3:30, incl. 1 intermission

Tickets

Not available

Season 23/24: the final part of the trilogy: Roberto Devereux!

After Anna Bolena and Maria Stuarda, the third and final part of the Tudor trilogy will be staged at Dutch National Opera & Ballet from 18 April to 6 May 2024: Roberto Devereux

Info & tickets

Anna Bolena: the price of the crown

‘Success, Triumph, Delirium!’ – exclaimed the audience at the 1830 premiere of Anna Bolena in Milan. The opera about the tragic fate of the English queen marked one of the most impressive moments in the career of the bel canto composer Donizetti. With his magnificent, melodious music, he transformed historical facts into a world of intense emotions, deeply moving to this day.

The price of the crown

Anna Bolena is based on the life of Anne Boleyn, mother of Queen Elizabeth I. She was the second wife of King Henry VIII, who had her removed so he could marry his mistress, Jane Seymour. It is an opera about power, passion, honour and vulnerability during turbulent times, with tragic consequences.

First part of the trilogy

Internationally acclaimed Dutch opera director Jetske Mijnssen, winner of the ‘Grand Prix de la Critique’ in 2016, delves deep into the psyche of the opera’s characters. At the musical helm of this project is Italian conductor Enrique Mazzola, Chicago Lyric Opera’s new music director. He is internationally acknowledged as the bel canto specialist and leads the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra in this production.

For this production a wonderful cast of great voices and strong theatrical personalities has been brought together. The fantastic Latvian soprano Marina Rebeka, who is one of the very few soloists in the world who can sing all three of the Donizetti queens, will perform the title role.

Performance information

Libretto Felice Romani

Musical direction Enrique Mazzola

Stage direction  Jetske Mijnssen

Set design  Ben Baur

Costumes  Klaus Bruns

Lighting design Cor van den Brink

Choreography  Lilian Stillwell

Dramaturgy Luc Joosten

Enrico VIII Adrian Sâmpetrean

Anna Bolena Marina Rebeka

Giovanna Seymour  Raffaella Lupinacci

Lord Riccardo Percy Ismael Jordi

Lord Rochefort  Frederik Bergman **

Smeton Cecilia Molinari

Signor Hervey  Ian Castro*

* Dutch National Opera Studio

** Alumni Dutch National Opera Studio

Dancers

Alaaeddin Baker, Suzanne de Bekker, Alina Fejzo, Sho Nakasatomi, Renzo Popolizio, Ismael Del Valle Espinosa, Carolina Verra, Demi Wals, Facundo Ebenegger (reserve), Marta Bianchi (reserve)

Child extras

Mila Gelders, Yara Swaab

Orchestra Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

Chorus Chorus of Dutch National Opera

Chorus conductor Klaas-Jan de Groot

Coproduction with Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia (Valencia) and Teatro di San Carlo (Naples)

Lyrical tragedy in two acts (1830)

Sung in Italian

Rarely have I seen the audience explode in such applause as after the final chord ... Go see and hear it!

11 May

The highlight is Marina Rebeka in the title role. Her soprano is sleek, radiant and athletic, her stage presence incredibly powerful.

11 May

An extremely nuanced and sophisticated production by Jetske Mijnssen ... Mijnssen gives her staging a psychological structure with striking details, and it works fantastically well.

11 May

Marina Rebeka's technique is amazing and you can listen to her smooth voice for hours. She is the ideal bel canto diva.

11 May

The performance of this complicated opera is of an overwhelming, but very subdued beauty ... Enrique Mazzola makes the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra thunder and then whisper very delicately and softly.

11 May

Enrique Mazzola

Musical direction

Jetske Mijnssen

Stage direction

Ben Baur

Set design

Klaus Bruns

Costumes

Lillian Stillwell

Choreography

Cor van den Brink

Lighting

Luc Joosten

Dramaturgy

Klaas-Jan de Groot

Chorus conductor

Adrian Sâmpetrean

Enrico VIII

Marina Rebeka

Anna Bolena

Raffaella Lupinacci

Giovanna Seymour

Ismael Jordi

Lord Riccardo Percy

Frederik Bergman

Lord Rochefort

Cecilia Molinari

Smeton

Ian Matthew Castro

Signor Hervey

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

For more than 30 years, The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra | The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra has been the primary orchestral partner of Dutch National Opera. It is counted among the best opera orchestras of the world. The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam is the main podium for the orchestra’s concerts. In addition to the programmes with chief conductor Lorenzo Viotti and Gordan Nikolić (musical director of The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra), the orchestra works with internationally renowned guest conductors and soloists, as well as with a new generation of excellent musicians.

Netherlands Chamber Orchestra

The orchestra strives to make classical music accessible to everyone who is open to it. On countless stages, the orchestra brings people together through music and provides an excellent musical experience for both experienced and new audiences. With its welcoming and open home, the NedPhO-Dome in the ‘Indische Buurt’ in Amsterdam, the orchestra is situated in the heart of the community. In the 21/22 season, The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra will join us for the season opener Der Zwerg and the DNO productions Missa in tempore belli, La traviata, the world premiere of Eurydice – Die Liebenden, blind and Tosca. The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra will participate in Don Giovanni and Anna Bolena.