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Stage Director Mariano Bauduin Talks Teatro di San Carlo at the Dubai Opera

Stage Director of Teatro Di San Carlo Mariano Bauduin

Stage Director of Teatro Di San Carlo Mariano Bauduin. Courtesy of Dubai Opera

Having recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, Dubai Opera is looking to an exciting season ahead starting with a Mozart Trilogy. Known as some of the composers’ most famous operas, which he collaborated on with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte, The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro), Don Giovanni, and Così fan tutte are set to delight audiences. Specially commissioned for Dubai Opera and featuring two shows for each, the production sees the Teatro di San Carlo travel all the way from Naples. Vogue speaks to Mariano Bauduin, the Stage Director of Teatro di San Carlo to discover what it to be expected.

Can you share with us the story of Teatro Di San Carlo?
The ambitious project of performing the whole Trilogia Mozart/Da Ponte required a careful and detailed preparation. In November 2016 we had several days of auditions to select the cast, which had to be new and made of young singers, up-and-comers of opera, to be performing with more expert artists. At the same time, as director, I worked closely with the set and scenery, and costume department to give the project a red thread running through all the titles, maintaining the peculiarities of each title.

What is the story behind the trilogy?
My feelings towards the Trilogia lead back to my experience with the traditional Neapolitan theatre, whose authors were often switching from prose to opera booklet for the most prestigious Neapolitan composers of the 18th century. It is well known that Mozart and Da Ponte were familiar with these productions which also became their model for these three masterpieces. I emphasized their relationship with the cultural and theater world of Naples. In fact, all the titles are set in Naples and not only Così fan tutte. The costumes are also evocative of Naples, as portraited by several European painters (French, German, Austrian, Spanish, English). Since Naples has always been a point of interest for many European artists, my target was to highlight this interest and underline this aspect.

Is there anything the Dubai audience should watch out for or be especially looking forward to for the performances?
I believe that Dubai audiences will be fascinated by the set and scenery of the Trilogia. It keeps the utmost historical rigor and portrays the environment of the 18th century in a very sophisticated and entertaining manner. The direction presents hilarious situations and games of the ancient comic theater. We combined sublime music to a sparking script. I have no doubt that Dubai audiences will understand and enjoy all of this.

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