Conspiracies and regattas form the backdrop to the fortunes of a young singer Harassed by a heartless spy she sacrifices everything to save the man she loves and the woman he prefers over her Ponchielli based his flamboyant opera on Victor Hugos play Angelo tyrant of Padua An expert on Hugo director Olivier Py offers us a dreamlike version of this dark Romantic tragedy presided over by sex and death Paolo Carignani conducts an exceptional cast in the six demanding main roles