Don Pasquale was a fantastic production brought to the barn at Broome Farm by Clementine Lovell's newly formed opera company, Pop-up Opera. Clementine and her friends have often thought it unfair that opera be exclusive, only being staged in big theatres in cities and the like. They wanted to take opera out to the barns and village halls etc. where everybody could enjoy it and many people attended the Broome Farm event which took place on Sunday, 3rd July.

The stage was brilliantly set and the cast were brilliant. Wonderful musical talent combined with side splitting humour and Harry's PC generated captions made me want to watch it all over again.

Donizetti's comic opera tells the story of wealthy land owner, Don Pasquale. The Don (Raul Baglietoo) has a nephew, Ernesto (Juan Carlos Echeverry) who is in love with the beautiful but penniless Norina, (Clementine Lovell). Not being too happy about the penniless bit, Don Pasquale forbids Ernesto to marry the girl, threatening to disinherit him if he does. The Don then decides that he must produce his own heirs, at the age of 70, the thought of which Ernesto finds hilarious.

The Don's doctor, Malatesta (Ricardo Panela) is a friend of the young couple and persuades Norina to become 'Sofronia' an opposite to her real self, and take part in a mock marriage to Don Pasquale, conducted by the Notary, (Darren Royston). Once 'married' she immediately begins to make the Don's life miserable with her high demands, lack of love, expensive tastes and her infidelity. In the end Don Pasquale decides that it would have been a lot cheaper to have let Ernesto marry Norina.

The whole production was fantastic and I highly recommend it. Two scenes from 'Don Pasquale' will be included in the Week in Moving Pictures, which will be online shortly.

Prior to and following the performance, there were some delicious Ross Cider & Perry Co. products available as well as some wonderful food, provided by Hilary and John Draper of the Broome Farm B&B, which made a the whole event just perfect. Many great events take place at Broome Farm, the next of which is a Ceilidh which will take place on Saturday, 30th July. These are always fun events so why not go along and have fun yourself?