TEATRO LIRICO DI CAGLIARI
La Favorite
by Gaetano Donizetti,
returns to Cagliari after 115 years,
in a sumptuous production from Teatro Massimo of Palermo,
for the 2024-2025 Opera and Ballet Season
On Friday, June 6 at 8:30 p.m. (Series A), the 2024-2025 Opera and Ballet Season of the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari continues with its eighth production—a truly unmissable title, last performed in Cagliari during the 1910 Season at the Teatro Civico, just like La Wally (115 years ago!). The only other known performance was a single open-air staging in August 1932 at Eden Park.
We are speaking of La Favorite, a four-act drama with a libretto by Alphonse Royer, Gustave Vaёz, and Eugène Scribe, based on the play Les Amans malheureux, ou le Comte de Comminge by François-Thomas-Marie de Baculard d’Arnaud, and music by Gaetano Donizetti.
Originally composed in French in 1840 as a grand opéra, La Favorite met with immediate success, so much so that, just ten years later, it was already being performed across Europe in several translated versions. In Cagliari, the opera is now presented in the Italian rhymed version by Francesco Jannetti, which premiered in Padua in June 1842.
The lavish production comes from the Teatro Massimo of Palermo (2019), with direction by Allex Aguilera, sets and costumes by Francesco Zito, and lighting by Luis Perdiguero. It is a classic production, rich in visual splendor, paying homage to the 19th century through the use of finely painted backdrops that meticulously recreate the settings of the story, driven by a deep sense of historical research. The elegant and luxurious costumes contribute to an atmosphere reminiscent of a tableau vivant, typical of French theatre, without ever descending into excess or kitsch.
Musical direction is entrusted to Beatrice Venezi (Lucca, 1990), one of the rising stars on the international scene, returning to Cagliari to conduct the Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Lirico, after successful appearances with La Traviata in May/June 2023 and Tosca in March 2024. The chorus master is Giovanni Andreoli.
Two alternating casts will perform the opera across eight showings, featuring:
Alfonso XI: Damiano Salerno (June 6-8-11-13-15) / Jorge Nelson Martínez (June 7-10-12-14)
Leonora di Gusman: Nozomi Kato (June 6-8-11-13-15) / Emilia Rukavina (June 7-10-12-14)
Fernando: Antonino Siragusa (June 6-8-11-13-15) / Matteo Desole (June 7-10-12-14)
Baldassarre: Ramaz Chikviladze (June 6-8-11-13-15) / Alessandro Abis (June 7-10-12-14)
Don Gasparo: Andrea Schifaudo (June 6-8-11-13-15) / Carmine Riccio (June 7-10-12-14)
Ines: Michela Varvaro
As with La Wally, this staging of La Favorite, due to the rarity of its performances, marks a complete debut for all cast members (conductors, directors, and singers), as although the director and set/costume designer worked on the 2019 Palermo production, that was a very different French version compared to the current Italian one.
Gaetano Donizetti (Bergamo, 1797–1848) entirely reworked a previous, never-staged opera of his—L’ange de Nisida—and incorporated elements from other works (Adelaide, The Siege of Calais, The Duke of Alba, Pia de’ Tolomei), a common practice at the time also used by Rossini. He delivered the completed opera to the Académie Royale de Musique in Paris, which had commissioned it, and La Favorite premiered at the Opéra on December 2, 1840.
In composing this grand opéra, Donizetti exercised great creative freedom, placing more emphasis on psychological depth than on historical or adventurous themes. The cast included notable performers, including Carlotta Grisi—who would become the first Giselle—making her debut as a dancer in this very opera.
Set in the 14th century, the plot tells the tragic love story of Fernando, a monk who leaves the monastery of Santiago de Compostela for love, and Leonora, the favorite of King Alfonso of Castile.
The opera has a total running time of approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes, including an intermission after Act II, and is performed in Italian. As is now customary at the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, surtitles above the proscenium arch aid audience comprehension of the libretto.
Performance schedule:
Saturday, June 7 at 7:00 p.m. (Series G)
Sunday, June 8 at 5:00 p.m. (Series D)
Wednesday, June 11 at 8:30 p.m. (Series B)
Thursday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. (Series F)
Friday, June 13 at 8:30 p.m. (Series C)
Saturday, June 14 at 5:00 p.m. (Series I)
Sunday, June 15 at 5:00 p.m. (Series E)
A family performance—a reduced version lasting around 60 minutes—will take place on Tuesday, June 10 at 11:00 a.m., with Cagliari-based actor Simeone Latini as narrator.
From Thursday, October 17, 2024, tickets for all performances in the Opera and Ballet Season will be on sale. Tickets can also be purchased online via www.vivaticket.it.
Seating is arranged by section (stalls, first and second tier) and by color zone (yellow, red, blue), with pricing according to seat category.
Ticket prices:
Stalls: €75.00–€50.00 (yellow), €60.00–€40.00 (red), €50.00–€30.00 (blue)
First tier: €55.00–€40.00 (yellow), €45.00–€30.00 (red), €40.00–€25.00 (blue)
Second tier: €35.00–€25.00 (yellow), €25.00–€20.00 (red), €20.00–€15.00 (blue)
Discounts of 50% apply to audience members under 35 and persons with disabilities. Additional group discounts are also available.
The Opera and Ballet Season continues with the following works:
La Favorita
opera in four acts
libretto by Alphonse Royer, Gustave Vaëz and Eugène Scribe, from the drama Les Amans malheureux, ou le Comte de Comminge by François-Thomas-Marie de Baculard d'Arnaud
music by Gaetano Donizetti
June 6 - 15, 2025
Main characters and principal cast
Leonora di Guzman Nozomi Kato / Emilia Rukavina
Fernando Antonino Siragusa / Matteo Desole
Alfonso XI Damiano Salerno / Alfonso Mujica
Balthazar Ramaz Chikviladze
Don Gaspare Andrea Schifaudo
Ines Michela Varvaro
principal conductor and director Beatrice Venezi
Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari
chorus master Giovanni Andreoli
director Allex Aguilera
sets and costumes Francesco Zito
production by Teatro Massimo of Palermo
Aida
opera in four acts
libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni
music by Giuseppe Verdi
July 11 - 20, 2025
Main characters and principal cast
The King Peter Martincic / George Andguladze
Amneris Olesya Petrova / Daniela Barcellona
Aida Marigona Qerkezi / Marta Mari
Radamès Antonello Palombi / Carlo Ventre
Ramfis George Andguladze / Peter Martincic
Amonasro Devid Cecconi / Igor Podoplelov
principal conductor and director Gianluca Marcianò
Orchestra and Chorus of the Teatro Lirico di Cagliari
chorus master Giovanni Andreoli
director Franco Zeffirelli, reprise by Stefano Trespidi
sets by Franco Zeffirelli
costumes Anna Anni
production by Teatro Giuseppe Verdi of Busseto
© Press Office Teatro Lirico di Cagliari
