People don't give Peter Gelb enough credit. In this production of Roberto Devereux, from 2016, he has chosen the perfect cast.
Elisabetta: Sondra Radvanovsky (soprano)
Sara, Duchess of Nottingham: Elīna Garanča (mezzo-soprano)
Roberto Devereux: Matthew Polenzani (tenor)
Duke of Nottingham: Mariusz Kwiecien (baritone)
He has also chosen the great Englishman, David McVicar, to create this wonderful production. Of the three queens, I prefer this one because it isn't so dark and drab.
I like Sondra Radvanovsky in other operas, but this is her masterpiece. The opera comes to life because of the wonderful intensity she brings.
The plot is nonsense, of course. Elizabeth was a truly great queen who would never have allowed the execution of one of her courtiers on anything so trivial as sex. My understanding is that Devereux tried to overthrow the queen, the precise meaning of being a traitor. I doubt that having a girlfriend qualifies. It wouldn't make an opera, though.
Thank you all.
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