Lo Speziale, The Apothecary
by Haydn

Musical Director - Anhad Arora
Répetiteur - Joseph Beesley
Director - Michael Burden

Sempronio, an old apothecary -  Maximilian Lawrie
Grilletta, Sempronio's ward - Emily Gibson
Mengone, Sempronio's apprentice - Jacob Clark
Volpino, a young rich dandy - Indyana Schneider

Haydn's short comic opera The Apothecary - described as 'a comedy of great warmth and ebullience' - was written for performance at Estahazy in 1768. The libretto is by the creator and master of the comic opera libretto, Carlo Goldoni. The story is a love tangle, in which the old Apothecary is in love with his ward Grilletta - but as also is the poor apprentice Mengone, and the rich and assured dandy Volpino. The action twists and turns encompassing a marriage contract, a map of Turkey, and the appearance of Volpino disguised as a Pasha.