The Lowry, Opera North, Cimarosa: The Secret Marriage: LAUGHTER and fine music came to The Lowry on Thursday as our regional opera company presented one of the opera buffo classics.
Domenico Cimarosa's music resembles that of his contemporary, Mozart, although the style of comedy is more akin to Rossini.
The humour revolves around the secret marriage of Italian merchant's secretary Paolino (Wynne Evans), to his master Geronimo's pretty daughter, Carolina (Mary Nelson).
Their agonising over when to tell Geronimo their secret leads to complications -- involving an aunt, Fidalma (Louise Mott), who wants to marry Paolino, and a wealthy English nobleman, Count Robinson, who is set to marry Carolina's less attractive sister, Elisetta.
This ensemble piece works wonderfully, with Geronimo (Henry Waddington) and Count Robinson (Richard Morrison) getting the laughs, and the fine-voiced Natasha Jouhl, as Elisetta, making the most of the best songs.
While not in the same league as the comedies of Mozart and Rossini, The Secret Marriage is hugely enjoyable, and it is a shame there was only one performance during Opera North's week at the Lowry. Puccini's Tosca is on Friday (February 7) and Mozart's opera seria, Idomeneo, is on Saturday.
John Griffiths
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