Garden gnomes.
So many garden gnomes.
It’s good to be back in Portland.
Just watch this intro and tell me you don’t love opera and better opera in Portland.
This young Mozart opera is a delight and opens with about 50 garden gnomes on stage. The plot is absolutely ridiculous for this light hearted comedy.
We made a new friend tonight who was seated next to us. This is his first opera and his vision is impaired so during intermissions he took our elbows as guides to the typical hangouts. He has an extensive classical record collection and really wants me to listen to Bruckner.
So what’s La finta giardiniera all about? It begins with what is going to be an arranged marriage between Belfiore and Arminda. However a year ago Belfiore stabbed his wife Violanta in a fit of jealousy and left her for dead. Unknown to everyone Violanta is disguised as Sandrina in the garden. Authorities come to arrest Belfiore for the murder of violante and Sandrina admits that she is in fact Violante the countess. Belfiore still loves Sandrina/Violante making Arminda mad and wanting revenge. There is a funny night scene in the garden when everyone runs around and ends up with the wrong person because it is dark. Violante and Belfiore take off their clothes and imagine themselves as Greek gods (earlier Arminda said she could turn into a medusa). In the third act Ramiro still pursues Arminda while nardo pursues Serpetta who seems to deny their affections, but they all sing the praises of the ‘pretend’ gardener, whose fidelity and strength prove the power of love.”
Notes on the production
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Composer……………………………..….. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Sandrina/Violante…………………….. Lindsay Ohse
Count Belfiore…………………..………Thomas Cilluffo
Podesta………………………………….….. Mark A. Thomsen
Arminda…………………………………….. Antonia Tamer
Ramiro…………………………………….… Camille Sherman
Serpetta……………………………………. Helen Huang
Nardo/Roberto…………………………. Geoffefrey Schellenberg
Conductor…………………………….….. George Manahan
Portland Opera
7/12/19