Written in 1841, Rita, an opera comique in one act, was composed by Gaetano Donizetti to a French libretto by Gustave Vaëz. It was never performed in Donizetti’s lifetime and premiered posthumously at the Opéra-Comique in Paris on 7 May 1860.

Opera Rara’s new release is a double first – the first recording of the newly restored critical edition of the score, in the original French, and our first project with the critically acclaimed Hallé, conducted by Sir Mark Elder (Music Director, the Hallé and Artistic Director, Opera Rara) with Katarina Karénus (Rita), Barry Banks (Pepé) and Christopher Maltman (Gasparo).

This CD comes with a fully illustrated booklet with a complete libretto and English translation and informative notes, by Francesco Bellotto, about the opera.