Important debuts in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera La forza del destino

Giuseppe Verdi’s opera La forza del destino tells the tragic love story of Donna Leonora and Don Alvaro, mercilessly never to be united during their own lifetimes – even in death they are destined to remain separated. This tremendous opera is of great significance to the Mariinsky Theatre as it was written by Verdi at the height of his international fame following a special commission from the Board of the St Petersburg Imperial Theatres in 1862.

Leonora and Preziosilla are the lead female characters in the opera. The beautiful army-camp follower embodies freedom and the unconcern of gypsy life. The noble Leonora, daughter of the Marquis of Calatrava who is pursued by destiny, becomes a victim of circumstances and even – when disguised as a reclusive monk in a monastery – spending her years in prayer and grief cannot save her from her own doom – the curse of her murdered father.

The Verdian repertoire plays an important role in the work of both Anna Markarova and Natalia Yevstafieva who are soloists at the theatre. Markarova, making her debut as Leonora, has been described by critics as having a “huge and dark timbre” to her voice and “stability” in her performing style. The mezzo-soprano role of Preziosilla is ideal in terms of temperament for Natalia Yevstafieva, who has earned a well-deserved reputation as another famous gypsy – Carmen in the eponymous opera by Georges Bizet, imbuing it with “coquettishness, rebelliousness and wilfulness.” The soloists are being coached for the production by its principal concert mistress Alla Brosterman, Honoured Artist of Russia, who works with such renowned singers as Olga Borodina and Vladimir Galuzin.

The male role debuts include those of Vladimir Felyauer as the Marquis of Calatrava and Oleg Sychov as Alcalde. Tugan Sokhiev will be conducting.