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Daughter of the Regiment

High spirits, deep trouble

SUMMER 2024

Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment is delicious French whimsy, written by an Italian, and sung in English.

A canteen girl brought up by a rollicking regiment of soldiers is expected to marry a soldier but her heart strays elsewhere. Cue: much hilarity and many high notes from both the canteen girl and her lover Tonio – whose aria Ah mes amis! features a terrifying sequence of top C’s.

Soprano Julia Sitkovetsky is famed throughout Europe for her high notes. Her signature role of Queen of the Night has taken her to Hamburgische Staatsoper, Semperoper Dresden, Deutsche Oper am Rhein and Welsh National Opera.

An opera in two acts

Sung in English

Music Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto Jules-Henri  Vernoy de Saint-Georges, Jean-François Bayard

First performance 11 February 1840, Salle de la Bourse

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Cast & Creatives

MARIE, born into and brought up by the 21st Regiment JULIA SITKOVETSKY      Sponsor Sarah & James Sassoon
TONIO, a Tyrolean NICO DARMANIN     Sponsored by the de Laszlo Foundation
SERGEANT SULPICE ∙ ENRICO MARABELLI     Sponsor Niall & Ingrid FitzGerald
THE MARQUISE OF BERKENFIELD, allegedly Marie’s aunt but, in fact, her mother ANNA STEIGER     Sponsor Samantha & Nabil Chartouni
HORTENSIUS, a butler HENRY GRANT KERSWELL
A PRIVATE TIM BAGLEY
CORPORAL REDMOND SANDERS

and
HARRIET THORPE as THE DUCHESS OF KRAKENTHORP     Sponsor Keith & Katy Weed

CONDUCTOR CLAIRE LEVACHER      Sponsor Brian & Jennifer Ratner
CO-DIRECTORS JOHN DOYLE and NIKKI WOOLLASTON
DESIGNER JOHN DOYLE
COSTUME DESIGNER GABRIELLE DALTON
LIGHTING DESIGNER TIM MITCHELL

Act 1 

Marie was found as a baby on a battlefield and brought up as the ‘daughter’ of the Regiment. Her foster-father Sulpice has decreed she must marry a soldier, but Marie has other ideas: she’s fallen in love with a local boy, Tonio.

The Marquise de Berkenfield and her steward Hortensius stumble across the regiment. Sulpice recognizes the Marquise’s name from papers found near the infant Marie. The Marquise claims to be Marie’s aunt, and resolves to give Marie a proper education. Marie has to leave behind her Regiment – and Tonio, who’s by now enlisted in order to marry her!

Act 2

The Marquise plans to marry Marie to the Duke of Crakentorp. Marie isn’t happy as she longs for the Regiment. To her delight, they rush in! Tonio pleads with the Marquise to be allowed to marry Marie.  When she refuses, he reveals he knows that Marie is the Marquise’s illegitimate daughter.

The Marquise and the formidable Duchess de Crakentorp try to force Marie to sign a marriage contract.  When Marie learns that the Marquise is her mother she’s prepared to do so, but is stopped by Tonio and the Regiment.

The Marquise knows she can’t make her daughter unhappy and gives Marie permission to marry Tonio after all!

Performance dates

Saturday 8 June 5:15pm
Thursday 13 June 5:45pm
Wednesday 19 June 5:45pm
Sunday 30 June 5:15pm
Thursday 4 July 5:45pm
Saturday 6 July 5:15pm

With thanks

Daughter of the Regiment is sponsored by Ronnie Frost & family, and Marie & Etienne Deshormes. The 21st Regiment is sponsored by Sue Butcher.

Tickets

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