"Rita" by Gaetano Donizetti (Opera film, 2021)

"Rita", a one-act comic opera by Gaetano Donizetti, libretto by Gustave Vaëz, in a new musical arrangement for chamber ensemble by Marco Iannelli. A production of the Italian Cultural Institute Hong Kong, filmed live on 23 November 2020.

Starring:
Etta Fung: Rita
Chen Yong: Beppe
Isaac Droscha: Gasparo

Musical Director: Marco Iannelli
Theatrical Direction: Peter Gordon
Concertmaster: Hsu Wei-En
Producer: Lorna Chan


This opera-film, a project of the Italian Cultural Institute and initiated by the Institute's Director, Stefano Fossati, was recorded live at Hong Kong’s iconic Haw Par Mansion on 23 November 2020 and broadcast in early 2021 on Hong Kong television (RTHK). Built in the 1930s by Aw Boon Haw, known as “The King of Tiger Balm”, as the family residence, the restored Haw Par Mansion is now a Hong Kong heritage building, gallery and museum and houses Haw Paw Music. In order to reset the work in Hong Kong — at the time of the mansion’s heyday — the dialogue was adapted slightly in the process of translation. But only slightly — quite a few Hong Kong husbands have set off for Canada over the years.

The three singers featured in this video are some of the best-known in Hong Kong and regulars on Hong Kong stages. But also starring in this recording is a newly-arranged score for chamber ensemble by Marco Iannelli. The stage performance which preceded this recording by a week was the Hong Kong and, as far as we know, China premiere of this opera, and the world premiere of this new edition.

Chinese subtitles are available on the RTHK broadcast version    • Видео   and the soundtrack is available on a CD from DaVinci Publishing.

© Italian Cultural Institute, Hong Kong