Join us and singers from the Capitol City Opera Company on Tuesday, September 19 and Thursday, September 21, for Dinner and a Diva—a night of delicious food and performances from Gioachino Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri. Enjoy a gourmet four-course dinner paired with wine, featuring hors d’ oeuvres, salad, choice of two gourmet entrees, decadent dessert, coffee/tea, and two glasses of wine, all for only $75 per person (plus taxes and fees). Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar open at 6:15 p.m., and the dinner and show start promptly at 7:00 p.m.
“Rossini’s fusion of melody, comedy, and vocal fireworks make L’Italiana in Algeri one of opera’s best loved comedies, and have established its permanent place in the operatic canon. Elvira is upset that her husband, the Turkish Bey Mustafa, no longer loves her. Mustafa reveals that he wants to marry his wife off to his Italian slave Lindoro, because he wants an Italian woman instead. Lindoro sings of his love for Isabella, though he finds out that he is set to marry Elvira. A ship arrives at Algiers after being wrecked by a storm. It is Isabella looking for Lindoro. She is accompanied by Taddeo, who is in love with her. Haly, the right-hand man for Mustafa takes the two prisoners. Mustafa offers Lindoro passage to Italy if he promises to marry Elvira. He agrees. Just then, Isabella arrives, though she finds Mustafa’s appearances amusing. Lindoro runs into her as he is about to depart with his supposed new wife, creating confusion. Left alone, Lindoro and Isabella clear everything up and agree to escape together. Mustafa enters, ready to seduce Isabella, but it all winds up a mess for him. Eventually, Mustafa is convinced to become a “pappataci” in an official ceremony. He must swear an oath of eating, drinking, and keeping silent. He is then tested on his oath. A European ship arrives and they all escape. The Bey realizes that he has been tricked, but it is too late. He apologizes to his wife and everyone gets a happy ending.”