Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci 2025 Review: Didone abbandonata

(Photo: Noah Shaye) On June 28, 2025, Musikfestspiele Potsdam Sanssouci presented a rare revival of Baldassare Galuppi’s opera “Didone abbandonata” — the 1752 Madrid version. Commissioned by the legendary castrato Farinelli to honor King Ferdinand VI of Spain, this adaptation brought together three giants of the 18th century opera: Farinelli himself, librettist Pietro Metastasio, and composer Galuppi. More concise and {…}

Opéra Royal de Versailles 2024 Review: L’uomo Femina

(Photo: Mirco Magliocca) The Versailles Royal Opera successfully staged one of the most curious titles of the eighteenth century: Baldassare Galuppi and Piero Chiari’s “L’uomo Femina.” Galuppi, once a popular Venetian composer—especially known for what is now recognized as opera buffa—has largely fallen into obscurity. Today, his name resonates only among the most hardcore early music enthusiasts—the same audiences likely {…}