Opera’s Funniest Romance

Friday, Feb. 26, 2027 at 7:30 PM in The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences

Come early at 6:00 PM for a pre-concert performance in the lobby by a local Lubbock artist, to be announced soon!

Donizetti’s opera Don Pasquale, is a comedy of errors rooted in the exaggerated archetypes of Italian Commedia dell'arte stock characters. The story follows the elderly Don Pasquale, who is fooled into giving his inheritance to his nephew Ernesto, despite Pasquale’s opposition to Ernesto’s engagement to Norina, a commoner. With the help of Pasquale’s doctor Malatesta, Norina becomes “Sofronia” and tricks Pasquale into a comically miserable marriage that he finds a way out of, all according to plan. In the end, “Sofronia” leaves and the inheritance goes Ernesto and Norina. Don Pasquale accepts their marriage, amused by the truth of their ruse.

Soprano Amanda Key and other outstanding vocalists perform the vibrant opera on a shared stage with the LSO. English supertitles translate the Italian story for the audience to follow along with.

Donizetti – Don Pasquale

Amanda Key, Soprano

David Cho, conductor

This performance is also made possible in part by The CH Foundation; Helen Jones Foundation, Inc.; the Lubbock Symphony Guild; the Texas Commission on the Arts; the National Endowment for the Arts, and a grant by the City of Lubbock as recommended by Civic Lubbock, Inc.

This performance takes place in the Lubbock Cultural District.

Artist Bio

Amanda Key is known for her "wonderful light lyric voice with a smashing top." The American Soprano graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance, and earned a master’s degree at the Conservatory in Amsterdam. She was blessed to sing opera and church music in 11 different countries while living and working in Europe for 12 years. While in Europe, she participated in many international masterclasses, attended the European Music Academy in Prague, was a finalist in the 2016 Beethoven Award, and co-founded/directed the Dutch opera company B.O.O.M! (Bold Opera on the Move). She continues to perform opera and church music since moving back to the states, most recently with the Brazos Symphony Orchestra and Lubbock Symphony Orchestra.