ALCINA

In the organizer's words:

When knights-errant are not fighting with "heathens", they like to get caught up in risky love adventures. This is also the case for Ruggiero, who falls under the spell of the sorceress Alcina, who transforms her adversaries and ex-boyfriends into either stones, trees or animals. With the help of his lover Bradamante, who has traveled after him, Ruggiero not only frees himself
himself, but also all the enchanted people on the island.

In the 1734/1735 season, George Frideric Handel dominated the Covent Garden Theatre in London: in addition to three oratorios, he had five operas performed here, including two world premieres, both of which were based on episodes from Ariosto's verse epic "The Mad Roland": "Ariodante" and "Alcina". This, Handel's last great operatic success in London, is a Gesamtkunstwerk of a special kind: Alcina's magical island is enlivened by elements of song, pantomime, dance and machine theater. Another strong sign of life in the fascinating field of baroque opera, presented by the Gärtnerplatztheater.