The second title of the ABAO subscription was a very bad luck performance. Few things came out. To begin with, the strike of the Symphony Orchestra of the Basque Country. Until the last moment, a repair was expected so that the opera could be done properly. But no, on Friday, the conductor of the orchestra, Oriol Roch, told the ABAO that the call for strike continued. Thus, Juan Carlos Matellanes, president of the AO, decided to carry out the performance with the help of the piano. We can't deny that Teacher James Vaughan's help was excellent, flexible, perfect, but Donizetti's music needs more form. It was sad that the assembly so elegantly prepared would be completely colourless. Donizetti is sophisticated, dense, but this Don Pasquale came very pale.

On the other hand, there was more than one change among the soloists. The baritone of low Carlos Chausson, who was planned, could not sing, touched by pharyngitis, and in his place, the protagonist role was played by Paolo Bordogna. The low Milanese fulfilled their role very well and was of great merit given that the change was made in extremis.

In Ernesto's role there were also movements. Initially, the Italian tenor Paolo Fanale had to be among us, but finally due to a kidney disease the Argentinean Santiago Ballerini was in charge of doing the role. And it was a very good surprise. It doesn't have a big voice, but it's very well-lit and expressive.

The one that didn't fail us was British soprano Jessica Pratt. He made a Norina with many nuances: sometimes naïve and other manipulative, he moved easily in the interpretation and in the vocal sphere.

Stage director Jonathan Miller designed a panpin etxe scenography. All the characters went up and down, imagining a complicated, very appropriate and visual environment. However, the invention of scenography, the brilliance of the pianist and the austere direction of Roberto Abbado were not enough to solve a small disaster. Pity.