Operas by George Frideric Handel

Almira (1705) Florindo (1708) Rodrigo (1707) Agrippina (1709) Rinaldo (1711) Il pastor fido (1712) Teseo (1713) Amadigi di Gaula (1715) Acis and Galatea (1718) Radamisto (1720) Muzio Scevola (1721) Floridante (1721) Ottone (1723) Flavio (1723) Giulio Cesare (1724) Tamerlano (1724) Rodelinda (1725) Scipione (1726) Alessandro (1726) Admeto (1727) Riccardo Primo (1727) Siroe (1728) Tolomeo (1728) Lotario (1729) Partenope (1730) Poro (1731) Ezio (1732) Sosarme (1732) Orlando (1733) Arianna in Creta (1734) Oreste (1734) Ariodante (1735) Alcina (1735) Atalanta (1736) Arminio (1737) Giustino (1737) Berenice (1737) Alessandro Severo (1738) Faramondo (1738) Serse (1738) Giove in Argo (1739) Imeneo (1740) Deidamia (1741) Semele (1744) “Handel” redirects here. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... “Der in Krohnen erlangte Glückswechsel”, or “Almira, Königin von Castilien” (HWV 1), is George Frideric Handels first opera. ... Der beglückte Florindo is an opera composed by Handel in Hamburg in 1708 as part of a double opera, the other part being Die verwandelte Daphne. ... Opera in three acts by Handel. ... Agrippina is an opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Rinaldo is an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel, now a part of the standard operatic repertoire. ... Opera in three acts by Handel written in 1712. ... Theseus. ... Amadigi di Gaula is an opera based on the story of Amadis and Dardanus by George Frideric Handel. ... Acis and Galatea is a pastoral opera or masque composed by George Frideric Handel while he was living in Cannons (the seat of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, during the summer of 1718, and later revised and expanded to three acts in 1732, to words by John Gay, Alexander... Radamisto is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel to an Italian libretto by Niccola Francesco Haym, based on Lamor tirranico by Domenico Lalli and Zenobia by Matteo Noris. ... Muzio Scevola (Mucius Scaevola) is an opera in three acts. ... Floridante (HWV 14) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. ... Ottone, de di Germania (Otho, King of Germany) is a opera by Handel composed in 1723. ... Please do not edit yet. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... One of Handels greatest operas composed in a year in which two more great operas were composed by him. ... Rodelinda is an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Opera composed by Handel for the Royal Academy of Music in 1726. ... Alessandro (Alexander the Great) is an opera composed by George Frideric Handel in 1726 and performed in London. ... Admeto. ... Riccardo Primo, re dInghilterra (Richard I, King of England). ... Siroe, re di Persia (or Siroes, King of Persia) is an opera in three acts by George Frideric Handel. ... Tolomeo, re di Eggito (Ptolemy, King of Egypt). ... Lotario (Lothair) (HWV 26) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. ... Opera by George Frideric Handel composed in 1730. ... Poro, re dellIndie (or Porus, King of the Indians) (HWV 28) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. ... Ezio (Aetius) is an opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Sosarme, de di Media (meaning Sosarmes, King of Media) is an opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Handel opera composed in 1733. ... Arianna in Creta (Ariadne in Crete) (HWV 32) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. ... Oreste (Orestes) (HG 48/102, HWV A11) is an opera by George Frideric Handel in three acts. ... For the opera by Étienne Méhul, see Ariodant. ... Opera in Three Acts by Handel composed in 1736. ... An almost entirely unknown opera by Handel composed in 1736. ... Justin. ... Berenice, regina dEgitto (Bernice, Queen of Egypt). ... Alexander Severus. ... Faramondo is an opera composed by George Frideric Handel in 1738. ... Serse (also known as Xerxes) is an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Giove in Argo (or Jupiter in Argos) (HWV A14) is an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Imeneo (Hymen) (HWV 41) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. ... Handels last opera composed in 1741. ... Semele is a secular oratorio by George Frideric Handel. ...

Alcina is an opera seria by George Frideric Handel. The libretto's author is unknown, but the plot is taken (like those of the Handel operas Orlando and Ariodante) from Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso, an epic poem set in the time of Charlemagne's wars against Islam. The opera contains several musical sequences with opportunity for dance: these were composed for dancer Marie Sallé. A caricature of a performance of Handels Flavio, featuring three of the most well-known opera seria singers of their day: Senesino on the left, diva Francesca Cuzzoni in the centre, and art-loving castrato Gaetano Berenstadt on the right. ... “Handel” redirects here. ... Antonio Ghislanzoni, nineteenth century Italian librettist. ... Handel opera composed in 1733. ... For the opera by Étienne Méhul, see Ariodant. ... Statue of the poet in Reggio Emilia. ... Ruggiero Rescuing Angelica by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Performance history

Alcina was composed for Handel's first season at the Covent Garden Theatre, London. It premiered on April 16, 1735. Like the composer's other works in the opera seria genre, it fell into obscurity; after a revival in Brunswick in 1738 it was not performed again until a production in Leipzig in 1928. The Floral Hall of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House is a performing arts venue in London. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... is the 106th day of the year (107th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events April 16 - The London premiere of Alcina by George Frideric Handel, his first the first Italian opera for the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden. ... Map of Germany showing Braunschweig Braunschweig [ˈbraunʃvaik] (English & French: Brunswick) is a city of 245,500 people (as of December 31, 2004), located in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... Events February 4 - Court Jew Joseph Suss Oppenheimer is executed in Württenberg April 15 - Premiere in London of Serse, an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel. ... Leipzig ( ; Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk from the Sorbian word for Tilia) is, with a population of over 506,000, the largest city in the federal state of Saxony, Germany. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Australian soprano Joan Sutherland sang the role in a production by Franco Zeffirelli in which she made her debut at La Fenice in February 1960 and at the Dallas Opera in November of that year. Another major production was that of Robert Carsen, staged originally for the Opera de Paris in 1999 and repeated at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which featured Renée Fleming in the title role. This article is about the singing voice part. ... Joan Sutherland as Haydns Euridice, Vienna 1967 Dame Joan Sutherland OM, AC, DBE (born November 7, 1926) is an Australian dramatic coloratura soprano noted for her contribution to the bel canto revival of the 1950s and 1960s. ... Franco Zeffirelli (born Gianfranco Corsi on February 12, 1923), is an Italian film director. ... Teatro La Fenice (the phoenix) is an opera house in Venice, Italy. ... The Dallas Opera is one of the leading opera companies in the United States. ...

Since 2005 the Bavarian State Opera is staging the work in Munich with Anja Harteros in the title role and Vesselina Kasarova as Ruggiero. For other uses, see Munich (disambiguation). ... Vesselina Kasarova Vesselina Kasarova (Bulgarian: ) is a Bulgarian-Swiss mezzo-soprano. ...

A new production of Alcina by Opera Australia, opened in February 2007 at the Sydney Opera House. Conductor was Richard Hicox with director Justin Way and his design team Kimm Kovac and Andrew Hays. Rochelle Durkin in the title role and Sarah Castle as Ruggerio.

Roles

This article is about the singing voice part. ... A mezzo-soprano (meaning medium soprano in Italian) is a female singer with a range usually extending from the A below middle C to the F an eleventh above middle C. Mezzo-sopranos generally have a darker (or lower) vocal tone than sopranos, and their vocal range is between that... Giovanni Carestini (circa 1705 — circa 1759) was an Italian castrato opera singer. ... This article is about Tenor vocalists in music. ... John Beard John Beard (b c1717; d Hampton, 5 Feb 1791) was an English tenor of the 18th century. ... A bass (or basso in Italian) is a male singer who sings in the deepest vocal range of the human voice. ...

Synopsis

Before the opera starts

The background of the opera comes from the poem Orlando Furioso. The heroic knight Ruggiero (mezzo soprano) is destined to a short but glorious life, and a benevolent magician is always whisking him away from the arms of his fiancée, Bradamante (mezzo soprano). Bradamante is not the type to put up with the constant disappearance of her lover, and she spends vast portions of the poem in full armor chasing after him. Just before the opera begins she has rescued him from an enchanted castle, only to have her flying horse (a hippogriff) take a fancy to Ruggiero and fly off with him. Ruggiero and the hippogriff land on an island in the middle of the ocean. As the hippogriff begins to eat the leaves of a myrtle bush, Ruggiero is startled to hear the bush begin to speak. The bush reveals that it was once a living soul named Sir Astolfo, and the island belongs to the sister sorceresses Alcina (soprano) and Morgana (soprano). The beautiful Alcina seduces every knight that lands on her isle, but soon tires of her lovers and changes them into stones, animals, plants, or anything that strikes her fancy. Despite Astolfo's warning, Ruggiero strides off to meet this sorceress--and falls under her spell. Ruggiero or Ruggero is the Italian version of the Germanic name Roger and may refer to: As a Surname Adamo Ruggiero (b. ... Bradamante is the sister to Rinaldo, and one of the heroines in Orlando Furioso. ... Roger Delivering Angelica by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, painted 1819, portrays the scene from Orlando furioso in which Roger, mounted on a hippogriff, rescues Angelique. ... Species Myrtus communis L. Myrtus nivellei Batt. ...

Act I

Bradamante, again searching for her lover, arrives on Alcina's island with Ruggiero's former tutor, Melisso (bass). Dressed in armor, Bradamante looks like a young man and goes by the name of her own brother, Ricciardo. She and Melisso possess a magic ring which enables the wearer to see through illusion, which they plan to use to break Alcina's spells and release her captives.

The first person they meet is the sorceress Morgana. Barely human and with no understanding of true love, she immediately abandons her own lover Oronte (tenor) for the handsome 'Ricciardo.' Morgana conveys the visitors to Alcina's court, where Bradamante is dismayed to discover that Ruggiero is besotted with Alcina and in a state of complete amnesia about his previous life. Also at Alcina's court is a boy, Oberto (soprano), who is looking for his father, Alfonso, who was last seen heading toward this island. Bradamante guesses that Alfonso is now transformed into something, but she holds her peace and concerns herself with Ruggiero. Bradamante and Melisso rebuke Ruggiero for his desertion, but he can't think of anything except Alcina.

Meanwhile, Oronte discovers that Morgana has fallen in love with 'Ricciardo,' and challenges 'him' to a duel. Morgana stops the fight, but Oronte is in a foul mood and takes it out on Ruggiero. He tells the young man exactly how Alcina treats her former lovers and adds that, as far as he can tell, Alcina has fallen in love with the newcomer, Ricciardo. Ruggiero is horrified and overwhelms Alcina with his jealous fury. Things get even worse when 'Ricciardo' enters and pretends to admire Alcina. Alcina calms Ruggiero, but Bradamante is so upset at seeing her fiancé wooed before her very eyes that she reveals her true identity to Ruggiero. Melisso hastily contradicts her and Ruggiero becomes very confused.

Alcina tells Morgana that she plans to turn Ricciardo into an animal, just to show Ruggiero how much she really loves him. Morgana begs Ricciardo to escape the island and Alcina's clutches, but 'he' says he'd rather stay, as he loves another. Morgana believes that this other person is herself, and the act ends with her triumphant aria "Tornami a vagheggiar."

Act II

Melisso recalls Ruggiero to reason and duty by letting him wear the magic ring: under its influence, Ruggiero sees the island as it really is--a desert, peopled with monsters. Appalled, he realizes he must leave, and sings the famous aria "Verdi prati" ("Green meadows") where he admits that even though he knows the island and Alcina are mere illusion, their beauty will haunt him for the rest of his life.

Melisso warns Ruggiero that he can’t just leave; Alcina still wields immense power, and he should cover his escape by telling her that he wishes to go hunting. Ruggiero agrees, but, thoroughly bewildered by the magic and illusion surrounding him, he refuses to believe his eyes when he at last sees Bradamante as herself, believing that she may be another of Alcina's illusions. Bradamante is in despair, as is Alcina. Convinced of Ruggiero's indifference, she enters to turn Ricciardo into an animal, and Ruggiero has to pull himself together quickly and convince the sorceress that he doesn’t need any proof of her love. It is at this point that the audience realises that Alcina genuinely loves Ruggiero; from now until the end of the opera, she is depicted sympathetically.

Oronte realizes that Ricciardo, Melisso and Ruggiero are in some sort of alliance, and Morgana and Alcina realise they are being deceived. But it is too late: Alcina's powers depend on illusion and, as true love enters her life, her magic powers slip away. As the act ends, Alcina tries to call up evil spirits to stop Ruggiero from leaving her, but her magic fails her--symbolized by the orchestra falling silent as Alcina continues to sing her invocation.

Act III

After this the opera finishes swiftly. Morgana and Oronte try to rebuild their relationship; she returns to him and he rebuffs her but (once she is offstage) admits he loves her still. Ruggiero returns to his proper heroic status and sings an aria accompanied by high horns; Oberto is introduced to a lion, to whom he feels strangely attached, and Alcina sings a desolate aria in which she longs for oblivion.

Bradamante and Ruggiero decide that they need to destroy the source of Alcina's magic, usually represented as an urn. Alcina pleads with them, but Ruggiero is deaf to her appeals and smashes the urn. As he does so, everything is both ruined and restored. Alcina's magic palace crumbles to dust and she and Morgana sink into the ground, but Alcina's lovers are returned to their proper selves. The lion turns into Oberto’s father, Alfonso, and other people stumble on, “I was a rock,” says one, “I a tree” says another, and “I a wave in the ocean…” All the humans sing of their relief and joy, and Alcina is forgotten.

External links

• Summary from Opera-Opera.com (Second section down)

• [1] from Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera). Video clip