Laurent Pelly’s larger-than-life production evokes military life in the Tyrolean alps with humour, style and a very big tank. Yves Abel conducts a wonderful cast, featuring Juan Diego Flórez and Jonah Hoskins, who share the role of Tonio, and Spanish soprano Sara Blanch, who makes her Royal Opera debut as the plucky heroine, Marie.

Gaetano Donizetti – from Bel canto to Opéra comique

Born in Bergamo in 1797, Gaetano Donizetti composed over 70 operas. Dividing his time between Italy and France, he was at his most productive during the early 19th century. He is well known as one of the leading exponents of bel canto, the genre of ‘beautiful singing’ that showcased the vocal prowess of the leading singers of the day, as heard in his gothic melodrama, Lucia di Lammermoor. He also composed a wealth of comic operas still popular today, including L’elisir d’amore, Don Pasquale and La fille du régiment.

A bumpy ride to success

The early performances of La fille du régiment in 1840, Paris, had a mixed reception, largely owing to a rise in anti-Italian sentiment in the French capital, spearheaded by the composer Hector Berlioz. Despite this, the opera became a huge success, cementing Donizetti’s Parisian reputation. La fille du régiment has enjoyed a comeback in recent decades, with modern-day audiences adoring its plucky heroine and catchy tunes.

Celebrity cameos: the Duchesse de Crakentorp

In previous revivals of this production, the speaking role of Marie’s prospective mother-in-law, the formidable Duchesse de Crakentorp, has been performed by celebrities, from Dawn French to Ann Widdecombe and Miranda Richardson, as well as legendary opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa.

Show-stopping tunes and Lively Dialogue

Catchy, military-style tunes are interspersed with lively French dialogue, all of which is translated live in the theatre on our surtitle screens. Highlights include Marie’s stirring regimental song ‘Chacun le sait’ (Everyone knows) and Tonio’s all-time tenor showstopper, ‘Ah! Mes amis,’ (‘Ah, my friends’), featuring 12 high Cs in a dazzling display of stamina and skill.