Jose Miguel Perez-Sierra Donizetti: Opera 'Maria Stuarda' DVD

Release date: 2026-07-08

Product Description

This recording captures the 2024 live performance of Gaetano Donizetti's opera Maria Stuarda at Teatro Real, featuring Korean subtitles. The opera, part of Donizetti's "Tudor Queens Trilogy," is a tragic drama set in England's Tudor dynasty. It centers on the historical conflict between Mary, Queen of Scots, and Queen Elizabeth I of England.

The production is conducted by Jose Miguel Perez-Sierra, accompanied by the Teatro Real Orchestra and Choir. The cast includes Lisette Oropesa as Maria Stuarda, Aigul Akhmetshina as Elisabetta, Ismael Jordi as Leicester, Roberto Tagliavini as Talbo, Andrzej Pilonczyk as Cecil, with stage direction by David McVicar.

The lead roles are performed by two of today's most renowned singers: American soprano Lisette Oropesa, known for her versatility across baroque to contemporary repertoire and her remarkable career achievements; and Bashkir mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshina, who received the International Opera Awards’ Female Singer of the Year at age 27 in 2023 and is celebrated for her powerful performances and unique cultural background.

Synopsis Summary

• Mary, Queen of Scots, flees to England seeking refuge with her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I, but is held under house arrest for many years.
• At the English court, factions argue over whether Mary, as a potential heir to the throne, should be executed or spared.
• Elizabeth struggles with political pressure and personal emotions, especially involving the Earl of Leicester, who has relationships with both queens.
• A meeting arranged by Leicester escalates tensions, leading Mary to harshly criticize Elizabeth.
• Hurt in her pride, Elizabeth signs Mary's execution warrant. Mary faces her fate with dignity, faith, and forgiveness.

Artist Profiles

• Lisette Oropesa (born 1983) is a distinguished American soprano, acclaimed for her slim figure, vegetarian lifestyle, and marathon hobby. Born to Cuban immigrant parents in Louisiana, she holds Spanish citizenship since 2019. Her extensive repertoire spans Italian, German, and French opera from baroque to modern works.
• Aigul Akhmetshina (born 1996) hails from the Bashkir Autonomous Republic in Russia’s Ural region. Raised in modest circumstances, she began music studies on the button accordion and trained in Ufa from age 14. Selected for the Royal Opera’s young artist program in 2017, she gained acclaim for performing Carmen at age 21. In 2023, she became the youngest recipient of the International Opera Awards’ Female Singer of the Year. Emphasizing her Bashkir and Tatar heritage, her appearance is noted as distinctly East Asian.

Production Notes

• Director David McVicar adapted this work from the 2013 Metropolitan Opera production, revising stage and costume design for this rendition.
• The performance highlights the intense rivalry and political intrigue between the two queens, enriched by outstanding vocal performances and dramatic staging.