Eleven BBCM children - accompanied by Agnes Kory - attended the school matinee performance of Donizetti’s Don Pasquale at Royal Opera House. Below see their reviews (of various lengths) of the event.

I enjoyed going to see my first opera ever - Don Pasquale. I loved the singing of Norina. She had a very clear voice, above any instrument. It was so beautiful when she was singing, that you thought everybody had stopped moving in the theatre. The story ends well and I enjoyed in particular the happy ending where the two lovers get together. They kissed on the lips six times!! I found the setting in a doll’s house amazing. Thank you Agnes for taking us!
Naomi Walden, age 6

On Friday we went to see Don Pasquale with Agnes at the Royal Opera House. It was really good and quite long but not too bad as we had an ice-cream at the interval. I was so surprised that the opera house was so big and grand and could fit so many people. The stage was so incredible and fancy and I was really happy because I got the day off school. I knew the story and had heard the music on a CD before we went so it was familiar but sometimes I got a bit lost with what they were saying. Sometimes I could read the words at the top and that helped. I loved the acting and the singing and thought they were all really funny and quite silly at times. Don Pasquale was my favourite character because he did funny things. I thought the costumes were interesting but a bit old fashioned. I loved being there with it all happening in front of me - quite hard to believe now. I hope we can go again soon and take my family with me too.
Sebastian Davies, age 6

On Friday I went with my music class to the Royal Opera House to see Don Pasquale. The story is about a rich uncle and his nephew Ernesto. It is a love story. Ernesto loves Norina but his uncle wants him to marry a rich woman. The family doctor, Malatesta likes Ernesto. He tricks Don Pasquale so that Ernesto can marry Norina.
The Opera House is a big beautiful place. There were lots of people in the house. We had ice-cream during the interval. I had blackberry and Daddy had mango. I liked the part when Ernesto was playing with the teddy bear. He threw teddy up. The teddy spun around and Ernesto caught it.
I liked the opera Hansel and Gretel more because there were children in the story.
Miles Camilleri, age 6

On Friday September 24th 2010, it was the first time I went to the opera.
It was at the Royal Opera House and I saw Don Pasquale. The music was composed by Gaetano Donizetti and the libretto was written by Giovanni Ruffini and Gaetano Donizetti.
I went with my music teacher and some other friends from my music class. We sat in the stalls circle. The hall was wide and beautiful. At first, the hall became dark, then the curtains opened to an incredible house. And that was how I discovered that the set was a house with a ground floor and two floors above. From where I was sitting, I could see the conductor, David Syrus.
The Opera is in three acts and is a drama buffo. There are four main characters: Don Pasquale, Doctor Malatesta, Norina and Ernesto. I listened to the music at home but it was better seeing it for real. The surtitles helped me to follow the story.
The set only changes at the end for Norina and Ernesto’s wedding. Norina is the only main character who changes costumes (four times!!!).
This is what I remember from my first time at the opera, but let’s not forget the ice cream I ate at the interval… it was very gooood!
It was great. I can’t wait to go back again.
Scipio Zamparo, age 7

Last Friday we saw Don Pasquale in the Royal Opera House. This was my second visit to the opera.
We were sitting in the stalls circle and had a very good view of the stage. The stage looked like a big dolls house with real people living inside it. There was a loft, but you didn’t get to see what was inside it. The play was happening on the ground floor and first and second floors. The actors looked like moving and singing dolls. The only bit that didn’t happen in the house was when Norina and Ernesto danced outside, in front of the house. I liked that part a lot.
At the beginning the conductor started to conduct and the orchestra started to play before the play began. You could not even see the house yet. Once the opera began the audience was clapping after each song or main part.
All the actors and actresses were dressed in funny clothes and hats. For example one of the ladies had a hat that looked like a boat made out of a tea towel.
My favourite part of the opera was when Norina and Ernesto were dancing together. The other favourite part was at the beginning when Don Pasquale introduced a girl to Ernesto to marry. The girl was dancing from room to room and was singing beautifully.
I really enjoyed the opera and will go to see it again with my brother and mummy when a film version of it will be played in the Phoenix cinema in November.
Abigail Aradi-Posylkin, age 7

I went to the Royal Opera House today to see Don Pasquale. I went with my music teacher Agnes and other students who are my good friends. It is about a rich uncle who has a nephew called Ernesto who is in love with a poor woman called Norina. Don Pasquale does not like Norina because she is poor and he sends Ernesto away. Don Pasquale plans to marry and have his own children. There is Doctor Malatesta who plans with Norina to trick Don Pasquale into a fake marriage. Norina turns Don Pasquale’s life upside down and when he hears that the marriage is fake, he is happy for Ernesto to marry Norina.
The opera was sung in Italian which I liked the sound of. I don’t understand Italian but there were words on a screen that I could read. I knew about the story from before and I could also figure out what was happening from the actions and music. I liked the music but especially the high notes sung by Norina (who was soprano). Povero Ernesto was also very nice although sad.
My favourite piece of music was Bella siccome un angelo because it was bouncy and joyful and sounded a bit like an angel’s voice. I also liked the duet near the end between Ernesto and Norina. It was so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes.
The setting was like a big house and you could see all the rooms at the same time. I could see what was happening very well because we had very good seats and I had my binoculars.
There was a part of the opera that reminded me of being at the pantomime because Don Pasquale asked the audience if they would like a song to be repeated. Everyone wanted to hear the song again.
I had a really good time and thank Agnes for such a lovely day.
Sophie Chin, age 7

Thank you for organising this trip to the Royal Opera House. I thought it was a fantastic place because it looked so grand, and I loved the lights and high ceiling.
I loved the sounds of the music and singing, I liked the part when Don Pasquale sang about having a new wife because he was really excited and the music was jolly and funny. I thought the story of the opera Don Pasquale was weird but good, because all the characters were trying to trick each other and all their plans kept going wrong, especially Don Pasquale's. My favourite character was Don Pasquale because he made me laugh and he was a really good singer. Also I loved the costumes because they were rich and gorgeous colours. I did think the first part of the opera was a bit too long, but I still enjoyed it.
Molly Teague, age 8

On Friday 24th September 2010 the Bela Bartok Centre for Musicianship (BBCM) went to the Royal Opera House to watch the 12:00 pm performance of Donizetti's Don Pasquale.
My favourite section of the opera was when Don Pasquale was having enough of married life and was regretting kicking Ernesto out. This was my favourite part because it taught Don Pasquale not to value money more than family. My least favourite part was when “Sofronia” slapped Don Pasquale. This was my least favourite part because I don’t think it is fair that somebody should be punished because they stand up for themselves.
I thought the singing was exceptional and I can’t wait till the next opera.
Joshua Leonce-Weekes, age 10

Last week we went to the Royal Opera House to see Don Pasquale. We were sitting in the stalls circle, so we could see everything.
The actors were singing in Italian, but it was not a problem because there were surtitles in English so that we could follow the story. The characters looked very different to what I thought they would look like. The actors looked like dolls or puppets with very pale faces. Ernesto’s outfit was the strangest.
Don Pasquale was living in a large house that looked like a dolls house with three floors. Most of the action was happening on the middle floor. Sometimes it was difficult to concentrate because there were actors moving about in different rooms in different parts of the house while the main characters were playing.
I really enjoyed the performance and the music. The music was great. The best bit was when Don Pasquale was tricked into marrying Norina; before Ernesto understood what was going on.
Adam Aradi-Posylkin, age 10

On Friday 24th September 2010 I went to the Royal Opera House to see Don Pasquale. The music was superb and lively, varying in pitch depending on who was singing. I don’t really have a favourite singer because they were all as good as each other! It was an excellent opera and also funny at times.
I think the plot was very good. It was a tiny bit complicated, but you could still follow the storyline quite easily. I didn’t really understand why at the end, when Don Pasquale had found out he had been tricked, that he just let Ernesto and Norina get married so that was a bit confusing.
The scenery was different from what I had really expected, because what I had expected was lots of different scenes. But really there was only one, and that was the house. So I thought it was quite clever how they didn’t need that many scenes.
I think the only thing I didn’t like was that when Norina did the house up and spent all Don Pasquale’s money there wasn’t much of a change except for a few gift boxes in one of the rooms. I was expecting to see different furniture, maids and maybe even different wallpaper.
But overall, I think the opera was great and I would recommend it to everyone who has seen and liked operas before.
Conor Reynolds, age 10

On Friday 24th of September, I and some other members of our music class attended the opera, Don Pasquale, at the Royal Opera House.
This opera tells the story of Don Pasquale who is an old man in his seventies, and wants to get married. However, if he goes ahead with this, his nephew, Ernesto and his girlfriend, Norina will miss out on inheriting Don Pasquale’s large fortune. A close friend of Don Pasquale’s, Doctor Malatesta, comes to his house, telling him about this lovely, innocent, beautiful woman- his “sister”. Norina adopts a new identity- “Sofronia”- and pretends to be this lovely woman and Doctor Malatesta’s sister in order to marry Don Pasquale. However, once they are married, Sofronia immediately changes character. She buys all sorts of dresses and jewels, criticising Don Pasquale’s house and ordering new servants, furniture and a two horse carriage. She maddeningly ignores Don Pasquale’s pleads to stop spending his money, but when he puts his foot down about her going out to the theatre at a late hour, she gets angry and slaps him. Realising that the plan has gone too far, Ernesto, Norina and Doctor Malatesta agree to end the plan. Sofronia deliberately drops a letter on the floor from her alleged lover, where Don Pasquale finds it. The letter tells Sofronia to meet him in the garden late, so Don Pasquale makes Doctor Malatesta come with him to try and catch them in the act. When they find Sofronia in the garden, her lover escapes quickly. When Don Pasquale gets angry, Ernesto appears and they tell him the trick they have been playing on him. Instead of getting angry, Don Pasquale realises he’s beaten and gives Norina and Ernesto his blessing.
The singing was fantastic, especially when Don Pasquale and Doctor Malatesta sang the scene where they plan to spy on Sofronia, which was exceptionally fast! I also liked it at the very end when Norina sang a very high note- she was my favourite singer.
Unlike any other opera I have seen, this opera was rather light-hearted and amusing. There were many funny bits, like when Don Pasquale fell back on his bed in bliss after being told whom he was going to marry, and also when Sofronia slapped him! I was delighted also with the quality of the seats; I had almost a direct view of the stage. We were slightly higher than everyone else, but not enough to be towering over the stage, so we had a perfect view.
The scenery was very impressive- it was like an oversized dolls house cut right in half. It was very clever, as it enabled you to see everything that was going on in the house, from all the action between Sofronia and Don Pasquale, to the servants arguing in the kitchen, which was very entertaining. I also liked the costumes, which were very smart and formal, especially Norina’s pink dress!
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed myself at the opera, and I would say it is probably one of the best operas I have ever seen!
Lizzie Reynolds, age 13