Maria Stuarda Was To Be the May 9, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast

Summary: Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda was to be the May 9, 2020, Met Opera Saturday broadcast, airing as 23rd in the season’s 23 radio matinees.

Ten days away from opening night, New Year’s Eve, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, for the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, with David McVicar (left) as production director and Maurizio Benini (right) as conductor: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Dec. 21, 2012

Gaetano Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda was to be the May 9, 2020, Met Opera Saturday broadcast, airing at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and closing the 2019-2020 Met Opera season of Saturday matinee broadcasts as the 23rd and last of the season’s 23 radio matinees.

Nineteenth-century Italian bel canto opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (Nov. 29, 1797-April 8, 1848) set his musical score for Maria Stuarda to an Italian libretto by Italian magistrate and writer Giuseppe Bardari (May 27, 1817-Sept. 22, 1861). The libretto’s literary source was Maria Stuarda, a play published in 1829 by Italian librettist and poet Andrea Maffei (April 19, 1798-Nov. 27, 1885).

Maffei’s Maria Stuarda was an Italian translation of Maria Stuart, a five-act verse play by German polymathic philosopher, physician, playwright and poet Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (Nov. 10, 1759-May 9, 1805). Schiller’s Maria Stuart premiered June 14, 1800, at central Germany’s Weimarer Hoftheater.

After dress rehearsals for Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, Ferdinando II of the Two Sicilies (Jan. 12, 1810-May 22, 1859) banned the opera’s performance. Donizetti recruited Italian librettist Pietro Salatino (1817-1861) for extensive revisions to Bardari’s libretto, including an action reset to 15th century Florence. The revised opera premiered Oct. 18, 1834, under the new title of Buondelmonte, at Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, the regional capital of Campania in Southern Italy.

French mezzo-soprano Maria Felicia Malibran (March 24, 1808-Sept. 23, 1836) intervened to arrange for the premiere of Donizetti’s original opera, Maria Stuarda. With Malibran in the title role, Maria Stuarda premiered Dec. 30, 1835, at Teatro alla Scala, the prestigious opera house located in north central Italy’s fashionable metropolis of Milan.

Maria Stuarda received its Metropolitan Opera premiere Dec. 31, 2012, for the opera house’s New Year’s Eve Gala. The opera received eight performances in the 2012-2013 Met Opera season.

In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda receives six performances. The season’s first performance took place Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). Three additional performances were offered in April: Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Monday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m.

The production’s last two performances are scheduled for May. The month’s first performance takes place Sunday, May 3, at 3 p.m. The Saturday matinee broadcast, May 9, starting at 1 p.m., closes the season’s performances of Maria Stuarda.

Update: The Metropolitan Opera announced via Facebook Thursday, March 12, 2020, the cancellation of the rest of the 2019-2020 season due to the Covid-19 virus pandemic. The Metropolitan Opera Archives Database (MetOpera Database) entry of March 12, 2020, noted the cancellation of 58 performances. Operas affected by the cancellation were identified as La Bohème, La Cenerentola, Così Fan Tutte, Der Fliegende Holländer, Kát'a Kabanová, Madama Butterfly, Manon Lescaut, Maria Stuarda, Simon Boccanegra, Tosca, La Traviata, Turandot and Werther.

Update: The opera company's coronavirus-occasioned closure affected all performances of La Traviata scheduled for the 2019-2020 season. The opera was not performed in the 2019-2020 season.

The two-act opera has an estimated run time of 2 hours 46 minutes. Act I runs for 70 minutes. An intermission of 33 minutes follows. Act II is estimated at 63 minutes.

In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Maurizio Benini had been scheduled to reprise his role as conductor of Maria Stuarda’s 2012-2013 Metropolitan Opera premiere. The Italian conductor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Monday, Jan. 19, 1998, in the opera company’s 231st performance of Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. In the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Maurizio Benini also conducts Manon by French Romantic Era composer Jules Massenet (May 12, 1842-Aug. 13, 1912).

Diana Damrau had been scheduled to perform the title role as Maria Stuarda. The German operatic soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Saturday, Sept. 24, 2005, as Zerbinetta in the opera company’s 79th performance of Ariadne auf Naxos (“Ariadne on Naxos”) by German composer Richard Georg Strauss (June 11, 1864-Sept. 8, 1949).

Jamie Barton had been scheduled to appear as Elisabetta (Queen Elizabeth I), whom Donizetti’s opera presents in a face-to-face meeting with Mary Stuart that never happened. The American mezzo-soprano made her Metropolitan Opera debut Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009, as the second of three ladies in the opera company’s 393rd performance of Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). During the 2019-2020 Met Opera season, Jamie Barton also performs in the title trouser role of Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice by German classical composer Christoph von Gluck (July 2, 1714-Nov. 15, 1787).

Stephen Costello had been scheduled to appear as Roberto, Earl of Leicester, whom Donizetti’s opera presents as loving Maria Stuarda and seeking her release from prison. The American operatic tenor made his Metropolitan Opera debut Sept. 24, 2007, as Arturo in the opera company’s 558th performance of Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor.

Andrzej Filonczyk had been scheduled to appear as Lord Gugielmo Cecil, Chancellor of the Exchequer, who presented Queen Elizabeth (Elisabetta) with the warrant for Maria Stuarda’s execution for her involvement in assassination plots against the Queen. The Polish baritone’s appearance in the season’s first performance, Sunday, April 19, marked his Metropolitan Opera debut.

Michele Pertusi had been scheduled to appear as Giorgio Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who served as Maria Stuarda’s keeper and whom Donizetti’s opera presents as message bearer between his prisoner and Roberto, Earl of Leicester. The Italian bass made his Metropolitan Opera debut Monday, Jan. 20, 1997, as Count Almaviva in the opera house’s 358th performance of Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s presentation of Maria Stuarda would have marked the second revival of staging by Sir David McVicar. The Scottish opera and theatre director’s new production of Maria Stuarda for the Metropolitan Opera debuted Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, in the Metropolitan Opera premiere of the opera. The production’s first revival took place in the 2015-2016 Met Opera season.

Sir David’s production team comprises set and costume designer John Macfarlane and lighting designer Jennifer Tipton. The production’s choreographer is Leah Hausman.

The takeaway for Maria Stuarda as the May 9, 2020, Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast is that, airing at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Donizetti’s opera would have closed the 2019-2020 Met Opera Saturday matinee broadcast season as the 23rd and last of the season’s 23 weekly radio broadcasts.

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda mark the second revival of Sir David McVicar’s staging, which debuted in the opera house’s 2012-2013 season and last revived in the 2015-2016 season: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Jan. 25, 2016

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Ten days away from opening night, New Year’s Eve, Monday, Dec. 31, 2012, for the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, with David McVicar (left) as production director and Maurizio Benini (right) as conductor: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Dec. 21, 2012, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10152332670730533/

The 2019-2020 Met Opera season’s performances of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda mark the second revival of Sir David McVicar’s staging, which debuted in the opera house’s 2012-2013 season and last revived in the 2015-2016 season: Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera, via Facebook Jan. 25, 2016, @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10156565518595533/10156565518810533/

For further information:

“Debut: Maurizio Benini.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 330354 L’Elisir d’Amore {231} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 01/19/1998.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=330354

“Debut: Stephen Costello, Mary Zimmerman, Daniel Ostling, Mara Blumenfeld, T. J. Gerckens, Daniel Pelzig.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 352065 New Production Lucia di Lammermoor {558} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/24/2007.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=352065

“Debuts: Bernard Labadie, Matthias Klink, Jamie Barton, Georg Zeppenfeld.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 353076 Die Zauberflöte {393} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/23/2009.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=353076

“Debuts: Jon Villars, Diana Damrau, Christopher Maltman.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 351297 Ariadne auf Naxos {79} Matinee ed. Metropolitan Opera House: 09/24/2005.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=351297

“Debuts: Michele Pertusi, Robin Guarino.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 327140 Le Nozze di Figaro {358} Metropolitan Opera House: 01/20/1997.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=327140

helcatj. "The Metropolitan Opera Company 2019-2020 Season." Showcase Opera and Events blog. Aug. 13, 2019.
Available @ https://showcaseoperaandeventsblog.wordpress.com/2019/08/13/the-metropolitan-opera-company-2019-2020-season/

Marriner, Derdriu. "Der Fliegende Holländer Was To Be March 14, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, March 9, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/04/kata-kabanova-is-may-2-2020-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Káťa Kabanová Was To Be the May 2, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 27, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/04/kata-kabanova-is-may-2-2020-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "La Cenerentola Was To Be March 21, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, March 16, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/03/orfeo-ed-euridice-is-april-4-2020-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Orfeo ed Euridice Was To Be April 4, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, March 30, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/03/orfeo-ed-euridice-is-april-4-2020-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Simon Boccanegra Was To Be April 18, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 13, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/04/simon-boccanegra-is-april-18-2020-met.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Tosca Was To Be April 11, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 6, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/04/tosca-is-april-11-2020-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Turandot Was To Be April 25, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, April 20, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/04/turandot-is-april-25-2020-met-opera.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Werther Was To Be March 28, 2020, Met Opera Saturday Matinee Broadcast." Earth and Space News. Monday, March 23, 2020.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2020/03/werther-is-march-28-2020-met-opera.html

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Act I of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda. http://bit.ly/1ZNJort Photo: Ken Howard/Met Opera.” Facebook. Jan. 25, 2016.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.10156565518595533/10156565518810533/

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “Another peek at the process: Director David McVicar and conductor Maurizio Benini conferring during a rehearsal for MARIA STUARDA. http://bit.ly/T5kuDo Photo: Ken Howard/Met Opera.” Facebook. Dec. 21, 2012.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/a.134969600532/10152332670730533/

The Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. "In light of the circumstances involving the coronavirus and in consultation with the Office of the Mayor of New York City, we regret to inform our audience that all Met performances have been canceled through March 31, including tonight’s planned performance of La Cenerentola. This Saturday’s Live in HD cinema presentation of Der Fliegende Holländer has also been canceled. Thank you for your understanding. Learn More: www.metopera.org/updates." Facebook. March 12, 2020.
Available @ https://www.facebook.com/MetOpera/photos/10163327604920533

“Metropolitan Opera Premiere: Maria Stuarda.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 354759 Metropolitan Opera Premiere Maria Stuarda {1} Metropolitan Opera House: 12/31/2012.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=354759

"Season Cancellation." MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 357448 Season Cancellation March 12-May 9, 2020. Metropolitan Opera House: 03/12/2020.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=357448

Woolfe, Zachary. "The Metropolitan Opera Season That Vanished." The New York Times > Arts > Music. May 13, 2020.
Available @ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/13/arts/music/metropolitan-opera-coronavirus.html