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Did you know
- SoundtracksAlcina, dramma per musica in tre atti (1735)
Music by George Frideric Handel (as Georg Friedrich Händel)
Annonymous libretto, adapted from the libretto of Riccardo Broschi's "L'isola d'Alcina",
based on Ludovico Ariosto's "Orlando furioso" (uncredited)
Conducted by Alan Hacker
Directed and dramturgie by Jossi Wieler and Sergio Morabito
Performed by Catherine Naglestad, Alice Coote, Helene Schneiderman, Catriona Smith,
Rolf Romei, Michael Ebbecke, Claudia Mahnke, Heinz Gerger with Staatsorchester Stuttgart
Featured review
I quite enjoyed it actually
I never have considered Alcina one of Handel's best, the music is absolutely glorious as is always the case with Handel but the plot is mostly daft, Gulio Cesare and Rodelinda for examples have far more convincing stories. Although I have noticed some reactions that have been either mixed or negative, I actually did enjoy this Alcina. The staging at times is busy and over-the-top(I also didn't see the point to Ruggiero's collapse), understandably to make story more convincing perhaps, and the ending is very awkwardly edited in the video directing. However, while not my definition of magical, the costumes and sets actually are in keeping with the passionate tone of the opera. Besides production values have been far uglier at Stuttgart before, such as their 2003/4 Siegfried. The orchestral playing is stylish and beautifully done overall, and the conducting is mostly well-judged with the fast tempos sprightly and the slower ones done with pathos. But it was the singing that made this Alcina work. In particular Alice Coote's Ruggiero, beautiful singing and a very intelligent and intense performance of the besotted-then-scornful sort of role. Catherine Naglestad is also mesmerising, very bewitching, seductive and calculating with a definite command to her voice that was appropriate for the character of Alcina. Michael Ebbecke is an authoritative Melisso, Rolf Romei brings credibility to a role that could have easily thankless and Claudia Mahnke is a passionate Oberto. Catriona Smith is appropriately vulnerable as Morgana, and Helene Schneidermann sings expressively in the role of Bradamante. All in all, quite enjoyable though maybe not for all tastes. 8/10 Bethany Cox
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 1, 2012
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