Don Pasquale (1979)

This John Dexter production designed by Desmond Heeley was a parting gift to the great American soprano Beverly Sills who bid farewell to the Met as Norina the smart young widow at the center of Donizettis comedy The sensational Alfredo Kraus sings her beloved Ernesto Håkan Hagegård in his Met debut role and season is Dr Malatesta the man who helps the young couple trick the crusty old bachelor of the title Gabriel Bacquier at his comical best into a fake marriage This being a Donizetti comedy it all turns out perfectly well at the endand getting there is pure operatic fun