Alcina

The sorceress Alcina has everything: power, money, respect. She is loved and feared. She is stunningly beautiful, astute, and highly dangerous. But does all that make her happy? She is in love with Ruggiero and is forced continually to lie to him to keep him by her. Does Alcina know at all true affection, or is her life only illusion and deception?
Alcina’s rival Bradamante is a warrior and not a seducer. She only knows the truth of her heart. Incognito she infiltrates the sorceress’ reign hoping to free her beloved Ruggiero from captivity. In fact, Ruggiero is hardly burdened by his being captive, since Alcina has chosen him to be her lover. Torn back and forth between the two women who love him, Ruggiero is pressed to question his identity and make a decision about his future.

What starts out as a fantastic fairy tale and adventure story turns out to be a psychological game of cat and mouse while Handel’s multifaceted, enchanting music promises the audience an emotional roller coaster ride. The director Jens-Daniel Herzog (RINALDO, LA BOHÈME) explores in his staging the psychological drama that plays out between the characters. At the same time, together with his designer team, he lets Alcina’s magnificent and mysterious magic world shine in all colors in that he sets the story in the German Golden Twenties. Under baroque specialist conductor Dorothee Oberlinger’s guidance, the Beethoven Orchestra will bring out all the nuances of Handel’s score.