Opera | Floridante

Dramma per musica in three acts by George Frideric Handel
Text by Paolo Antonio Rolli

In Italian with German and English surtitles
Intermissions after Acts 1 and 2

A coproduction of the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival and the International Handel Festival Karlsruhe

It could all work out so well: Elmira, ward of the Persian satrap Oronte, loves the military leader Floridante and is loved by him in return. Oronte has given them both his blessing, but only if Floridant returns victorious from the war against Tyre. Finally, the last battle was won, and Floridante rushes home to claim the prize of victory, his beloved. But Oronto has changed his mind and now desires Elmira himself as his wife.

Meanwhile, Rossane, Orante’s daughter, laments her fate: she was betrothed to Timante, Prince of Tyre, but the war has made this glad alliance impossible. Without hesitation, Tiimante now disguises himself as a slave and secretly sneaks into the Persian court. Together, the threatened lovers attempt to overthrow Oronte and fight for their happiness. Moreover, Elmira has to face the issue of her true identity…

Handel, spoilt by success, didn’t have an easy time of it when he started work on his new opera project in 1721. He had been director of the Royal Academy of Music as its head composer for two years and not only had to deal with capricious singers but also stomach the fact that his Italian colleague Giovanni Bononcini was hijacking his success, while his trusted librettist of long years, Nicola Francesco Haym, pulled out of their partnership. And to make matters worse, his prima donna became ill just at the same time, and Handel had to re-plan everything. These unhappy circumstances might be the reason that Floridante has remained one of Handel’s most rarely performed operas – but quite unjustly, as discerned by stage director and singer Max Emanuel Cenci together with conductor Markellos Chryssicos. For Floridante leaves nothing to be desired as a rousing evening at the opera: characters delineated with psychological subtlety, a gripping plot permeated with intrigues, grand emotions ranging over love, desire, jealousy and treachery, and of course music that goes straight to the heart.