Best bets

NCPA Opera La Fille du Regiment

Date: March 14-18 - 7 pm

Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts

Price: 180-680 yuan

La Fille du Regiment (The Daughter of the Regiment) is an opera in two acts. The first tells the life of the female protagonist Marie in the army, and the second, her life in a castle. The opera premiered on Feb 11, 1840 at the Paris Opera, but its first performance in Italy on Oct 3, 1840 received harsh reviews and wasn't taken seriously. Not until 1928 did the opera receive its due accolades with the Italian soprano, Toti Dal Monte, in the role of Marie. The storyline is lighthearted, humorous in tone, and accessible to popular audiences. The music is richly-expressive, the male and female lead vocal elements each having their own unique styles. The aria "Ah! Mes amis, quel jour de fete!" dubbed "dangerous ground" for tenors, demands a full nine successive high Cs within two minutes, leaving many tenors daunted by the task. It was in fact Pavarotti's role in this very opera that had earned him the title, "King of the High C".