(Credit: George Lucozzi / ASA Photographic) Some people go back to their high school to relive glory days. I went back to watch a magical island queen get dumped. Tomato, tomahto. MassOpera’s production of Handel’s “Alcina,” which took place at Arlington High School, added a charmingly suburban twist to the company’s track record of inventive venues. The company did little {…}
MassOpera is set to present “Alcina” this June. The Händel opera will take the stage of Lowe Auditorium in Boston on June 27 with performances running throughout the 29th. Hannah Shanefield will direct the production, while Julian Gau will conduct. This interpretation of the work will explore ideas of love, gender, and identity on spectrums with the cast members performing {…}
Theater Bonn is set to present Händel’s “Alcina.” The new production by Jens-Daniel Herzog is presented in co-production with Staatstheater Nürnberg, and will be led by conductor Dorothee Oberlinger. The Händel opera, written by Riccardo Broschi, stars Marie Heeschen in the title role alongside Charlotte Quadt as Ruggiero, Gloria Rehm as Morgana, Anna Alàs i Jové as Bradamante, Pavel Kudinov, {…}
(Photo by Asami Nakano) The Australia Brandenburg Orchestra will feature soprano Yukie Sato in its “Handel’s House” concert series. The program for the series will feature arias by Händel from “Partenope” and “Alcina” as well as Pisendel’s Violin Concerto in D major, JunP 1.7. “I’m excited to collaborate with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra on such a great program of arias, {…}
The 2023 Olivier Awards were held on April 2 at the Royal Albert Hall. The award for Best New Opera Production went to “Alcina” by Richard Jones at the Royal Opera House. Reacting to the news, Lisette Oropesa said, “‘ALCINA’ wins the Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production!!!! Congratulations to our fabulous team at the Royal Opera House for {…}
On February 22nd, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo inaugurated a new era under the direction of Cecila Bartoli. To open her first season, Bartoli chose to present Handel’s 1735 opera seria “Alcina,” in which she stars in the title role. “Alcina” has become one of the most frequently staged works by Händel. This past year alone has seen productions at Covent {…}
(Credit: © Marc Brenner/Royal Opera House) In “Alcina” seeing isn’t believing. Handel’s tale of an enchanted island, which sees the titular sorceress’ captives transfigured into birds, beasts, and shrubbery, speaks of the pleasures and dangers of illusion. First premiered on the current site of the Royal Opera House back in 1735, the opera speaks to a host of 18th-century preoccupations {…}
The Jerusalem Lyric Opera Festival has announced its 2023 Festival lineup, featuring works beloved by opera-goers. The Festival will run July 4-25, 2023. The Jerusalem International Opera Competition kicks off the season in July. Favorite arias are on tap as singers compete before a jury comprising conductors, singers, and casting directors from several of the world’s top opera houses. Performance {…}
Glyndebourne has released its recent production of Händel’s “Alcina” on its streaming platform Glyndebourne Encore. “Alcina” stars soprano Jane Archibald stars in the title role, with Soraya Mafi as Morgana and Samantha Hankey as Ruggerio. Jonathan Cohen conducts the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. “Alcina” was directed by Francesco Micheli. The company also unveiled that its other productions would be {…}
(Credit: Gianfranco Rota) Francesco Micheli is set to make history by becoming the fourth Italian director to stage a new opera production in the 88-year-long history of the Glyndebourne Festival. Micheli will make his debut at the 2022 edition of the Festival, staging Georg Friedrich Händel’s “Alcina.” He follows such Italian directors as Damiano Michieletto, Franco Enriquez, and Franco Zeffirelli {…}
(Photo: James Glossop) In the early 1730s the newly established The Opera of the Nobility succeeded in displacing Handel from London’s King’s Theatre, causing him to relocate to the recently built Covent Garden, a theatre furnished with the latest stage machinery, a chorus and dance company. The composer’s response to his new circumstances was to compose a run of successful {…}