2021 Festival | June 9–13, 2021

Telemann’s Pimpinone & Hasse’s La Finta Tedesca

June 9–13, 2021
Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, Boston, MA

Enjoy a bawdy double bill of Comic Opera from two German Baroque masters with the GRAMMY Award–winning BEMF Chamber Opera Series! Musical Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs and Stage Directors Gilbert Blin and Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière lead four of BEMF’s favorite singers and the all-star BEMF Chamber Ensemble in a side-splitting romp through the battle of the sexes.

The stylish slapstick of these witty operas approaches seduction and social class with evocative humanity. In Telemann’s brilliant intermezzo, the narcissistic old Pimpinone is stung by the beauty and barbs of his charming chambermaid, Vespetta. Meanwhile, in La finta tedesca (The Fake German), Sciarlotta dons a series of outlandish disguises to prod her master, Pantaleone, into confessing his love for her.

Starring in Pimpinone will be celebrated soprano Amanda Forsythe making her eighth consecutive June Festival appearance as Vespetta alongside the thrilling baritone Douglas Williams in the title role. The cast of La Finta Tedesca will feature two GRAMMY-nominated singers with soprano Teresa Wakim as Sciarlotta and baritone Jesse Blumberg as Pantaleone. Marie-Nathalie Lacoursière will also appear as a dancer in the production. Rounding out the directorial team will be Concertmaster Robert Mealy leading the 15-member Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble, Dance Director Melinda Sullivan, Costume Designers Gilbert Blin & Meriem Bahri, Lighting Director Kelly Martin, and Executive Producer Kathleen Fay.