Maria Stuarda at Sydney Opera House

A throne is not made for two Which Queen will rule her country and his heart?Every aria demands greatness. Some interpretations transcend talent to reach for the sublime. With its intense trills and stratospheric highs, Maria Stuarda calls for a true prima donna to portray the ill-fated monarch in this concert rendition of Donizettis bel canto masterpiece.Russian soprano Olga Peretyatko takes up the mantle of La Superba Montserrat Caball and La Stupenda Joan Sutherland, giving us a Mary Queen of Scots of lyrical beauty.Her coloratura finds its counterpoint in the darker tones of mezzo-soprano Carmen Topciu, who debuts as Marys steel-hearted cousin Queen Elizabeth I.Bound by blood but divided by their beliefs, the rivalry between Mary and her former ally, the brilliant Virgin Queen, couldnt be more bitter. Hanging in the balance is the English throne, and Leicesters love.French bass Nicholas Test is masterful as Marys confessor Talbot while Indianborn Australian tenor Shanul Sharma makes The Earl of Leicester irresistible with a voice capable of dazzling fireworks (The Age) and laser-like precision (Limelight Magazine).Let the power games begin!THESE PERFORMANCES OF MARIA STUARDA BY GAETANO DONIZETTI ARE GIVEN BY PERMISSION OF HAL LEONARD AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, EXCLUSIVE AGENTS FOR CASA RICORDI S.R.L. OF MILAN.