Lucrezia Borgia review

Central to the staging’s success is the fluent, technically authoritative but equally expressive vocalism of Paula Sides, capable of everything required of her by Donizetti’s demanding vocal writing. History may have judged Lucrezia, but as the soprano amply demonstrates in her broadly sympathetic portrayal, the composer undoubtedly takes her side. Playing opposite her as the son she has never acknowledged is tenor Thomas Elwin, whose flawless lyrical line and eager engagement communicate Gennaro’s predicament, as well as his ambiguous attitude to the woman who bore him, but who will be responsible for his death. As Lucrezia’s ruthless third husband Alfonso d’Este, baritone Aidan Edwards supplies plenty of malign vigour in a role originally created by a bass; once again, this is healthy, grandly scaled singing. Mezzo Katie Coventry, meanwhile, seizes all opportunities as Gennaro’s bromantic partner, Maffio Orsini.

Other artists taking smaller roles – those of Gennaro’s friends, Alfonso’s and Lucrezia’s henchmen, plus a batch of brigands – fit in neatly, while also forming the male chorus in a wide variety of fraught confrontations. There’s a moon that seems to have a life of its own as it wanders the Venetian skies in the prologue, and one or two performances need some physical sharpening up – but hopefully, this will improve as the tour progresses. 

In the pit, the Old Street Band gives an excellent account of the piece, the ensemble’s period-instrument colours matching nicely with Donizetti’s early 19th-century score. Conductor Gerry Cornelius, meanwhile, maintains a powerful sense of dynamism.