About This Show
Prince Ariodante and Princess Ginevra, the daughter of the King of Scotland, are in love. When Polinesso, who wants the throne for himself, deceives Ariodante into thinking that Ginevra has betrayed him, everyone thinks Ariodante has thrown himself into the sea and Ginevra, distraught, is imprisoned for her infidelity. Polinesso offers to champion Ginevra but is defeated in public combat by Ariodante’s brother Lurcanio who, intent on avenging his brother’s apparent death, challenges any other champions to come forward. A knight with his face hidden defends Ginevra’s honour before revealing himself as Ariodante. A courtier brings news that the dying Polinesso confessed to his treachery. The King hurries to free his daughter and she is reunited with Ariodante to much celebration.
Due to the smaller artistic forces required, we are pleased to be able to perform Ariodante as a live-stream concert. Further details will be announced along with a host of other broadcast and streaming highlights throughout November. Until then, we would like to thank all our Friends, patrons and audiences for their ongoing support during this challenging time. Continuing its celebration of the operas Handel wrote for Covent Garden, The Royal Opera presents Ariodante in concert. Ariodante was the first opera written by Handel for the first theatre on the current Royal Opera House site in 1735 and has not been performed at Covent Garden since. These concert performances bring together singers Paula Murrihy, Chen Reiss, Gerald Finley, Sophie Bevan, Iestyn Davies, Ed Lyon and Thando Mjandana with the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House conducted by Baroque music specialist Christian Curnyn. Set in medieval Scotland and based on a sixteenth-century epic poem, the same source as Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Ariodante tells the story of a prince, in love with the daughter of the King, who is driven to despair by a false accusation of his loved one’s infidelity and finally reunited with her when the treachery is revealed. The opera contains some of Handel’s most beautiful music with wonderful numbers for the title role including the haunting scena ‘E vivo ancora?… Scherza infida’ (and to go on living… a treacherous joke) and the bravura aria ‘Dopo notte’.
This is a film of the live streamed performance