La Donna Del Lago
Ready
Yesterday Constance and I went to the MET’s Live in HD presentation of Rossini’s La Donna Del Lago, an opera based on a poem by Sir Walter Scott. Mungo got wind of the fact that we had been to another Scottish-themed Opera and hopped into my pocket as we headed to our local puddle for a photo shoot.
Rebuffed
Many kilts were in evidence in the opera, including the one worn by the swaggering Malcolm (who was played by mezzo-soprano Daniela Barcellona). Also present were shepherds and shepherdesses, woad-dyed celtic bards, and lords and ladies in sort-of 16th century costume. The drop-dead gorgeous rivals, John Osborn (kilted) and Juan Diego Flores (in shiny dagged and slashed black leathers) vied for the hand of the delightful Joyce DiDonato (in blue silk corset over linen chemise and blue petticoat).
Kilts are fabulous of course, but Mungo was crushed at the lack of bagpipes in the score.
Heather
In the opera King James V of Scotland (who is in disguise as a hunter) falls madly in love with Elena. She blithely offers him a sprig of Highland Heather and he decides this means she is in love with him too. Meanwhile Elena is actually in love with Malcolm, but her father has decided to trade her hand in marriage to Roderick in exchange for shelter from the king whom he has betrayed.
Happiness
Quimper Hittys 
WOW! This is so beautiful, so beautiful. Thank you, love, nia
You are welcome!
Ah, QHs…I am grateful once again, to learn of yet another opera. For me, it does help to have the woodens along to “act” some of it out. I remember it better. Delightful!
We are happy to help out when we can…it is definitely helpful if you know what is going on in an opera, otherwise it can seem like just so much screeching. Of course some people (and Hittys) say all opera sounds like screeching no matter what.
Mungo looks very handsome with his wee sprig of heather.
I think so too – Mungo is still wondering whether there are any bagpipe/opera combinations out there…
oh delightful…just delightful. I suspect that Mungo will find someone to serenade with his lovely bagpipes. The Country HIttys only wish they lived closer and could offer to be the recipients of his musical efforts. A wonderful episode in the Quimper Hittys life!
Thanks – Mungo is threatening to make a recording of his efforts and put it on youtube…
Such a vivid re-creation of the opera, with Mungo a dead-ringer for the swaggering Malcolm! Well done to Constance & Mungo and their stage setters 🙂 Hitty G and I also enjoyed this opera at the cinema yesterday! You’ve done so well to bring it to life again! Wasn’t it wonderful! I’ll trade you for Juan Diego Flores Any Day 🙂 Can the Hittys manage to reproduce those tremulous runs up and down? I have to say I think Mungo’s heather was more realistic than whatever they were using at the Met! And thank you for sparing us from the heads ….
Wren Cottage Hittys, still humming the delicious Rossini tunes 🙂
Oh fun! Yes we enjoyed it mightily! Constance is the only one who would like to try those warblings, but none of them have had any proper music lessons…the other Hittys would probably flee. No heads on pikes are allowed in the Hitty Cupboard, rest assured!
PS, and I do think that Constance/Joyce DiDonato would do better with a nice Smiling Malcolm, such as Mungo is! She had the choice of two fine young suitors and went for that brooding misery!!
Constance says yes, she’ll keep the charming Mungo, despite his choice of instruments.
Another interesting Opera – The music is beautiful – Thank you Constance and Mungo
It was beautiful! We are still humming too!