Don Pasquale

In essence, Don Pasquale is a thoroughly unsympathetic character. He is so wealthy and at the same time so miserly that everything in life annoys him - or worse, bores him. Yet the news that his nephew (and designated heir) Ernesto intends to marry beneath his station does awaken Pasquale’s spirits. Even as a lifelong bachelor, he decides to marry a young bride himself and have children, simply to prevent Ernesto from inheriting anything. However, he has not reckoned with his nephew and Ernesto’s beloved Norina, who immediately conspire with the dubious doctor Malatesta and, in doing so, recklessly put Ernesto’s love at stake.

Within Gaetano Donizetti’s vast operatic output, Don Pasquale is a brilliant example of the composer’s sparkling yet sly humour, and at the same time a quintessential bel canto opera in its purest form. It also reveals a deeply human story about the longings of youth and age, and the courage required to be honest with oneself.