“Alcina” by Alan Hacker

I watched Handel’s “Alcina” conducted by Alan Hacker and orchestrated by Staatorchester Stuttgart.

This production of Handel’s opera is simply filled with great music, wonderful singers and more nudity.

Even though this opera has some erotic elements and soprano, Catherine Naglestad who played Alcina had beautiful body to look at, she showed off far more than average opera singer.  Especially because her singing was so good, you just don’t know what to think when she sung some of the Handel’s most gorgeous arias wonderfully while she’s practically topless.

She sung Alcina very impressively. Her sky penetrating beautiful soprano voice was expressive with different emotional shades and layers. Her singing confirmed my previous impression when mezzo-soprano, Joyce DeDonate sung the same role in the Alan Curtis’s production that this role really meant to be and is best sung by higher soprano ranged singer.

Mezzo-soprano, Alice Coote who sung Ruggiero was also wonderful. When she sung Nero in “L’Incoronazione di Poppea” by Emanuel Haim, her voice was shallowly and didn’t have enough weight. Nero’s voice range might be just little too higher than her comfortable range. She sung this role at the mid-mezzo-soprano range in this production and it was very rich, full and beautiful with plenty of weight.

Soprano, Catriona Smith who played Alcina’s sister, Morgana was very good also. Even though her voice had little hysteric texture which I don’t care so much for but otherwise, she sung really well.

Helene Schneiderman who played Bradamante had lower, light and beautiful textured mezzo-soprano voice.

Rolfe Romei who played Oraonte had full, strong and very good flexible tenor voice.

Claudia Mahnke who played Oberto had very beautiful, light, clear, rich and powerful mezzo-soprano voice.

I don't’ call the orchestration by Alan Hacker vibrant. But his orchestration was lively, detailed, affectionate and thoughtful.

In spite of all these musical high quality, one single item on the stage can ruin the whole show. And it’s always wallpaper.

They had the ugly stage setting, which might not be so bad as long as there were no old style busy patterned wallpapers. They covered all over the walls. I think they tried to create run-down, nostalgic look to the stage but visually, it looked awfully dreaded and heavy. They also used a huge gold picture frame, which look like the two-way mirror and beyond it, there was another room as some psychological reflection tool. But this usage also made to look the whole production very claustrophobic that didn’t match the Handel’s open and vast music.  Also the details of the stage setting didn’t make much sense. It must be harder for first time viewer to follow the story.

But musically, it was wonderful.

Di’, cor mio (Catherine Naglestad)

Ah, mio cor (Catherine Naglestad)

Ombre Pallide, Lo So, Mi Udite (Catherine Naglestad)

Mi Restano Le Lagrime (Catherine Naglestad)

Verdi Prati (Alice Coote)

Mi Lusinga Il Dolce Affetto (Alice Coote)

Sta Nell'Ircana Pietrosa Tana (Alice Coote)

Chi M'Insegna Il Caro Padre (Claudia Mahnke)

Barbara! Io Ben Lo So (Claudia Mahnke)

Credete Al Mio Dolore (Catriona Smith)

Tornami A Vagheggiar (Catriona Smith)

Semplicetto! A Donna Credi? (Rolfe Romei)

Vorrei Vendicarmi Del Perfido Cor (Helene Schneiderman)

All'Alma Fedel (Helene Schneiderman)