Glyndebourne Festival Opera makes its annual visit to the Proms with a new production of Handel's Rinaldo. Handel sets the action in the first Crusade, giving ample opportunity for battle scenes, a love story, abduction, magic, disguise and ultimately, a gracious conquering hero. For Handel this was his first opera written for the London stage, so he was out to impress, filling it with vivid, exciting and poignant arias, including the famous 'Lascia ch'io pianga'.
The young knight Rinaldo is in love with Almirena, daughter of Goffredo, the leader of the Crusade. They are laying seige to the Saracens in Jerusalem, who are led by Argante. Argante's lover Armida is a powerful sorceress, and she attacks Rinaldo's forces and abducts Almirena.
The period performance specialist Ottavio Dantone directs the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a superb cast including Sonia Prina in the title role.
Handel: Rinaldo (semi-staged; sung in Italian)
Sonia Prina (Rinaldo)
Varduhi Abrahamyan (Goffredo)
Annett Fritsch (Almirena)
Brenda Rae (Armida)
Luca Pisaroni (Argante)
Tim Mead (Eustazio)
William Towers (A Christian Magician)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Ottavio Dantone (director).
The young knight Rinaldo is in love with Almirena, daughter of Goffredo, the leader of the Crusade. They are laying seige to the Saracens in Jerusalem, who are led by Argante. Argante's lover Armida is a powerful sorceress, and she attacks Rinaldo's forces and abducts Almirena.
The period performance specialist Ottavio Dantone directs the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and a superb cast including Sonia Prina in the title role.
Handel: Rinaldo (semi-staged; sung in Italian)
Sonia Prina (Rinaldo)
Varduhi Abrahamyan (Goffredo)
Annett Fritsch (Almirena)
Brenda Rae (Armida)
Luca Pisaroni (Argante)
Tim Mead (Eustazio)
William Towers (A Christian Magician)
Glyndebourne Festival Opera
Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
Ottavio Dantone (director).
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