Classical Music | Soprano

George Frideric Handel

Tornami a vagheggiar, from Alcina Play Play

Amy Shoremount-Obra	Soprano
Eunjung Lee	Piano

Recorded on 01/07/2009, uploaded on 04/22/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Though Handel is most known today for his sacred oratorios, these works were more or less a fallback plan after his several attempts at producing Italian operas in London brought forth little results. Handel composed 40 operas during his career, 37 of which were produced in England. Handel enjoyed some brief success in the genre, even outpacing Italian composers. However, the overwhelming success and popularity of the Beggar's Opera, an English ballad opera composed in 1728, sealed the demise of Italian opera in the British capital. In the following years, Handel struggled to achieve success in the face of growing challenges. He formed his own company for the production of Italian operas and contributed as both composer and producer. A rival company, however, forced Handel to compete fiercely for talented singers. Both companies eventually closed in 1737 because of financial difficulties.

It was during this rivalry that the opera Alcina was staged on April 16, 1735. The libretto is taken from Orlando furioso, depicting the legend of Charlemagne and the Arab invasion of France, written by Ludovico Ariosto in 1532. The opera itself, though, focuses on the tale of the knight Ruggiero. Paralleling Homer's Odyssey, Ruggiero is the captive lover of the sorceress Alcina. Ruggiero is ultimately able to overcome Alcina's enchantments with the help of his fiancée Brandamante and escapes her palace.

Though long neglected like the rest of his operas, Alcina is a remarkable example of Handel's compositional skill. Throughout, Handel displays a mastery command of both long-range structure and affect. The final touches of the opera were completed only a week before the premiere. It ran for a total of 18 performances which shows that the opera enjoyed a moderate success. In 1738, it was performed in Brunswick before vanishing into obscurity. Alcina would not be seen again until 1928 when it was performed in Leipzig, nor achieved the success it rightfully deserves until the widely successful production in London in 1957.