In Geneva, people usually come for the auditory experience, not necessarily the visual one, and proving I’m not one to hold a grudge, it was an enormous pleasure to see L’Italiana in Algeri in Geneva!
The Grand Théâtre de Genève has temporarily relocated for 18 months to the former power plant building, 200 meters from the GTG (Grand Théâtre de Genève), with roughly 1,000 seats. I attended one of my favorite shows of 2026. Just a few days after La Cenerentola in Turin, I found myself immersed once again in the comic and musical genius of Rossini!
Michele Spotti is brilliant, equally at ease with Verdi drama and Rossini’s madness. The most Genevan of Milanese shone brightly last night from the very first notes, with wonderful musical nuances and a flawless performance. A huge special mention goes to the violins, who were on fire last night!
The staging is in the same spirit as the famous Zurich production with Cecilia Bartoli and Larry Brownlee; you feel like you’re in a hotel in the middle of July. I absolutely loved the extras, who sometimes stole the show. There’s always something happening with them; you’re never bored, whether it’s the valet or the receptionist. Damn, what a pleasure! Each character has their own background, their own story, and something to tell—extraordinary!
The star of the evening was the great, the charismatic, and the elegant Gaëlle Arquez in the lead role. A sublime singer with immeasurable talent, her stage presence is top-notch. She can make us cry in Carmen and have us rolling with laughter at an event like last night—a feast for the eyes and ears.
My favorite moment of the evening was Nahuel Di Piero, far too underrated in my humble opinion. He took the audience under his wing and held them captive all night, the main source of my out-of-the-laughs last night. His duets with Riccardo Novaro were absolutely hilarious; his talent and comedic power are undeniable. It remains the highlight of my opera evenings so far this year!
A special mention also goes to Mark Kurmanbayev. As someone who loves powerful, resonant bass voices, the imposing and well-known singer from the Grand Théâtre de Genève was a central figure, delivering a truly beautiful aria, “Le femmine d’Italia”—splendid!
Charlotte Bozzi and Mi Young Kim were also invaluable in completing this magnificent Rossini cast. The young French singer Charlotte Bozzi was impeccable, being very funny from beginning to end.
It seems that making love before a breakup is one of the best times, and well, the current general manager, who is finally leaving next June (I hope I can organize a going-away party), is leaving behind a truly wonderful show, one of the best I’ve ever seen at the GTG. And goodness knows, it’s been a long time since the Geneva audience laughed so much thanks to music, especially just a few weeks after the other triumph, “L’Américain à Paris.”
This review is being published on Thursday, January 29th, 15 hours after the applause, and I’ve just bought my ticket to go back for tomorrow’s performance, even though… it’s not even Verdi, and I don’t think I can pay a higher compliment!
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
CAST
Direction musicale Michele Spotti
Mise en scène Julien Chavaz
–
Isabella Gaëlle Arquez
Mustafà, Bey d’Alger Nahuel Di Pierro
Lindoro, italien amoureux d’Isabella Maxim Mironov
Taddeo, vieil Italien Riccardo Novaro
Elvira, l’épouse de Mustafà Charlotte Bozzi
Zulma, confidente d’Elvira Mi Young Kim
Haly, serviteur du Bey Mark Kurmanbayev
Danseurs Daniel Daniela Ojeda Yrureta & Clara Delorme
