The Summer Opera. Haydn: Le Pescatrici

The Summer Opera: 6.00 Reception; 6.30 Opera (first half); 7.45 Dinner Interval; 9.00 Opera (second half); 10.30 Curtain.Performed in an English translation by Gilly French and Jeremy GrayHaydns Le Pescatrici (The Fisher Girls) was the composers first full-length opera.

The libretto was by Carlo Goldoni, who, with a mixture of comic and serious characters, provided witty social commentary.

The story tells the tale of Lindoro, Prince of Sorrento, who is in search of the lost Princess of Benevento; he wishes to marry her and retore her to her rightful throne.

She was last seen at the fishing village of Taranto, where two fisher girls Nerina and Lesbina live.

When the Prince arrives, they both pretend that they are the Princess, in order to catch the his eye.

To do so, they ditch their current lovers, the fishermen Fresollino and Burlotto; the men in turn seek revenge by trying to pass off each others girlfriends as the Princess.

However, by means of a dramatic identification of a jeweled dagger, it emerges that Eurilda is the Princess; she has been in Mastriccos care all the time.