Pop Up Opera Summer tour: - "Rita and La Serva Padrona"

Following a successful Spring Tour, highly-acclaimed Pop-Up Opera presents an ingenious new production that combines Gaetano Donizetti’s Rita and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona. These two one-act operas take place on the same stage intertwining their scenes and stories. One mute servant features in both, tying the two tales together and guiding us through these comedies.

Commotion arises when the dominating Rita and her timid husband Beppe receive an unexpected visit from Rita’s first husband Gaspar. Each believes the other to have died and Gaspar unknowingly arrives seeking Rita's death certificate so he can remarry. Beppe sees this as an opportunity to escape his marriage, as Gaspar is still legally Rita's husband. The two men agree to a game – the winner will have to stay with Rita. Each of them tries to lose, but Gaspar cunningly manipulates Rita and Beppe to fall in love again. Meanwhile, wealthy old bachelor Uberto is kept under the thumb of his maid Serpina. He enlists his manservant Vespone to help him find a wife and get rid of Serpina but she convinces Vespone to trick Uberto into marrying her. Their elaborate plan works and by the time Uberto has agreed to marry Serpina he realises he had loved her all along. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll certainly be astounded by the calibre of this innovative company.

Pop-Up Opera exists to make opera entertaining, without compromising quality – all operas are performed in their original language. It opens a hidden door to those who are hesitant as well as appealing to dedicated opera-lovers. Their intimate use of props, story-telling and interaction makes audience members feel as if they have been given a backstage pass. All the singers are talented young professionals at the beginning of promising careers. Pop-Up’s operas are skillfully adapted to each individual venue but always maintain the highest standards. The combination of unusual and intimate venues, along with informal and engaging productions, offers a greater connection to the singers and the music, something even seasoned opera-goers often miss.
If Pop-Up Opera pops up near you, do pop in.