Greek premiere for Rossini’s opera buffa ‘Le Compte Ory’
The National Opera is about to stage Gioachino Rossini’s last comic opera (opera buffa), «Le Compte Ory,» at the Olympia Theater. Bearing the signature of acclaimed French-Iranian director Mariame Clement, «Le Compte Ory» (Count Ory) will open next Tuesday, February 19. Performances have been scheduled to run on February 20, 22-24 and 26-29. Based on a medieval legend, the opera tells the story of a young count who leads a wild life, having turned his back on his studies. In Eugene Scribe and Charles-Gaspard Delestre-Poirson’s libretto, the beautiful Countess Adele isolates herself in the family castle while her brother is away on the crusades. The count, who has set his eyes on Adele, tries every trick possible to get inside the castle, by changing disguises, but his plans are eventually ruined by his page, Isolier, who is also in love with the countess, as the crusaders return home. The opera made its premiere at the Theatre de l’Academie Royal de Musique in Paris, on August 20, 1829. Clement, who specializes in comic operas, won critical acclaim for her direction of Offenbach’s opera buffa «La Belle Helene» at the Strasbourg Opera House in 2006 and 2007. «Le Compte Ory» will feature alternating opera singers Colin Lee and Antonis Koroneos (Compte Ory), Marita Paparizou and Irini Karayianni (Isolier), Maria Mitsopoulou and Vassiliki Karayianni (Adele) and others, including Dimitris Kassioumis and Christophoros Staboglis. The sets and costumes are by Herbert Murauer. Olympia Theater, 59-61 Academias, tel 210.361.2461, 210.364.3725.
