Opera
Synopsis
Queen Elizabeth I holds her cousin Mary Stuart prisoner, torn between mercy and political necessity. When the two queens meet face to face, Mary's defiant pride goads Elizabeth into signing the death warrant. As Mary prepares for execution, she finds peace through confession and prayer. Donizetti's operatic treatment of the rivalry between the queens of England and Scotland, featuring a fictitious but electrifying confrontation, gives both sopranos scenes of extraordinary dramatic power.