Gaetano Donizetti: La Favorite

n autumn 2016, the Bavarian State Opera staged Donizetti’s La Favorite in the original French version, with Elina Garanca in the title role, making her scenic debut in this grand opéra

In a meticulously choreographed, dense chamber play that was especially revealing in its small gestures, director Amélie Niermeyer elaborated on the play’s feminist potential. Alongside Matthew Polenzani as Fernand and Mariusz Kwiecien as Alphonse, Garanca draws a character study of an all-seeing, disillusioned woman who is superior to her lovers in a controlled way.