| Operas by George Frideric Handel |
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Almira (1705) |
Orlando (HWV 31) is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Carlo Sigismondo Capece's L'Orlando after Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, which was also the source of Handel's operas Alcina and Ariodante.
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Performance history
The opera was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 27 January 1733. There were 10 performances but it was not revived thereafter. The first modern production was at the Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon, on 6 May 1959. London's Royal Opera House performed "Orlando" in February-March 2007 (première 26 February). The Royal Opera House's magazine, About the House, described Orlando's mad scene as "one of the most remarkable pieces of writing in Handel's output." This was a revival of a 2003 production, with Bejun Mehta again in the title role. The role of Angelica was sung by Rosemary Joshua and that of Dorinda by Camilla Tilling. The conductor was Sir Charles Mackerras and the director was Francisco Negrin.
Roles
| Role | Voice type | Premiere Cast, January 27, 1733 (Conductor: - ) |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando, a knight | alto castrato | Senesino |
| Angelica, Queen of Cathay | soprano | Anna Maria Strada |
| Medoro, an African prince | alto | Francesca Bertolli |
| Dorinda, a shepherdess | soprano | Celeste Gismondi |
| Zoroastro, a magician | bass | Antonio Montagnana |
Synopsis
Orlando (Roland), a great soldier in Charlemagne's army, falls desperately in love with the pagan princess Angelica, who is in turn in love with another man, Medoro. Orlando cannot accept this and he is driven to madness, prevented only from causing absolute carnage by the magician Zoroastro (who eventually restores his sanity). The role of Orlando was originally written for Senesino, the great alto castrato; nowadays it is generally performed by a countertenor. The role of Medoro, however, was originally written for an alto (mezzo-soprano), and this is usually retained in modern performance, though not always. The characters of Dorinda and Angelica are represented by sopranos, and Zoroastro by a bass.
Sources
Orlando (ii) by Anthony Hicks, in 'The New Grove Dictionary of Opera', ed. Stanley Sadie (London, 1992) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
