Donizetti’s La Favorita was voted by listeners across the world as a favourite – must hear – from the wonderful treasure trove of the Metropolitan Opera, New York archives. Tonight’s spectacular cast makes any listener wonder why such a marvellous, colourful opera isn’t much better known. The sensational Shirley Verrett is Leonora, the beautiful, mysterious lady who so completely captures the heart of the monk Fernando sung by Luciano Pavarotti (at his finest) that he forsakes his calling to defeat the Moors in battle in order to win her hand. Alas, she is the mistress of the king sung by Sherrill Milnes, who is so besotted with her he is determined to defy the pope himself to make Leonora his queen. It’s a tragic opera, so no one wins, except the audience. Jesús López Cobos conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
RTÉ lyric fm, Saturday 4th March, 7pm-10pm