Opera season opens with ‘Don Pasquale’

An older man marries a young woman so he can produce a suitable heir — what can go wrong?

This week Livermore Valley Opera opens its 26th season with Donizetti’s comic opera “Don Pasquale” at the Bankhead Theater — but this production is set in the American Wild West in the late 1800s. Stage director David Gately developed this revision for the San Diego Opera in 2002, where it proved a popular twist.

“It is a classic ‘spaghetti western,’ complete with gun-toting cowboys, saloon gals, bubble baths and even a mariachi band,” said Rob Herriot, who will stage the opera for LVO. “It is an opera of fun, laughs and amazing tunes that will appeal to all ages.”

The lead role will be performed by bass-baritone Peter Strummer, a newcomer to LVO who has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera and major opera houses in Europe. His adviser, Malatesta, is played by baritone Alex DeSocio.

The young wife, Norina, is soprano Erin Sanzero, who performed as Lucia for the LVO production of Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” in 2015.

Tenor Marco Stefani, a native of Pleasanton who now lives in Italy, returns to perform in the role of Ernesto, Don Pasquale’s nephew. He starred as Lindoro in last year’s “The Italian Girl in Algiers.”

“Our professional quality will be on full display in ‘Don Pasquale,'” LVO artistic director Erie Mills said. “With Maestro Alexander Katsman conducting, Jean-François Revon’s western-inspired sets and our wonderful cast, audiences will be in for a real treat.”

“Don Pasquale” was first staged at Théâtre-Italien in Paris in 1843 with four of opera’s biggest stars of the day, was an immediate success, and continues to be a favorite “opera buffa.”

A pre-opera talk will be held one hour prior to curtain time, and an artists’ reception will be held in the lobby immediately following each performance.

Performances are at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7; and at 2 p.m., Sundays, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, at the Bankhead Theater. Tickets are $42-$90, with $10 off for students 18 and younger.

An Opening Night Gala celebration dinner will be held across the street at Uncle Yu’s at the Vineyard at 4 p.m. Tickets are $95.

For tickets, call 373-6800, visit www.livermorevalleyopera.com, or go to the theater box office, 2400 First St. in Livermore.