Il matrimonio segreto

For us, taking Giovanni Bertrati's libretto seriously means not taking it too seriously: a nouveaux-rich family embroiled in a feisty count's antics; a secret marriage between the younger, unhappily married daughter and the young house servant; and, last but not least, a plethora of burning jealousy and choleric conflicts already evoke the dramas of a telenovela. At the latest with the recurring musical "hook" of the overture, the soap opera element became inescapable for us.

The closely related genres of telenovela and soap opera provide the aesthetic framework for our production. We therefore adhere to telenovela conventions in the design of costumes, sets, and other aspects of the staging. This allows us to compensate for the work's dramaturgical difficulties and present the plot in a clear and engaging way, without compromising the narrative or the music. Furthermore, this approach gives us the necessary leverage to critically examine the opera's sexist content from today's perspective.