We all know that feeling when we want to marry one rebel leader, but our father wants us to marry the chief rebel leader, but then one day a wandering king disguised as a huntsman starts chatting us up on the moors. With this timeless and relatable set-up (based on a poem by Sir Walter Scott that is credited with starting the Scottish Romantic movement) Rossini crafts an opera that blends romance and political intrigue.  Featuring a druid chorus, a major character unceremoniously killed offstage, and an unexpectedly happy ending, La Donna del Lago (“The Lady of the Lake”) is a wonderful example not only of Rossini's beautiful music, but also of Sir Walter Scott's seldom-read masterpiece.

Hosted by Pat Wright and Kathleen van de Wille

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