The Daughter of the Regiment

Description

Opera Orlando is in the army now, as it closes its Opera Everlasting MainStage series with Donizetti’s hilarious The Daughter of the Regiment. Enjoy this family-friendly tale about Marie, the eponymous “daughter” of the regiment. She was orphaned as an infant, but miraculously adopted and raised by a French army regiment not knowing of her noble birthright. 

The military life suits Marie just fine until she falls for the handsome peasant Tonio. Love-struck for Marie, Tonio must join the regiment to be near her, and prove his worth to her army of “fathers.” To further complicate matters Marie is whisked away from the regiment by The Marquise of Birkenfeld who knows of her aristocratic lineage and wants to introduce her properly to society. Of course, this upends the regimental order of things, and Marie must then choose between marrying for love or rejecting love and her found family to maintain her social status.

It’s a show of equal parts comedy, romance, and vocal fireworks led by stage director Andrew Nienaber and featuring the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Joshua Horsch. Internationally-acclaimed Puerto Rican soprano Camille Ortiz makes her Opera Orlando debut in the title role of Marie, and she is joined by Orlando native and Metropolitan Opera National Competition winner Carlos Enrique Santelli who takes on the role of Tonio and the famous aria “Ah mes amis…” with no less than 9 high C’s. Bass-baritone Peter Strummer returns to Orlando in the buffo role of Sergeant Sulpice, and mezzo-soprano Jenni Bank makes her Company debut in the role of The Marquise of Birkenfeld, with members of the Opera Orlando Chorus and dancers from Orlando Ballet rounding out the cast.