A Baroque Fight for Love and Power Handel's 'Ariodante' at Salzburg, in M&V August 24 2017

A Baroque Fight for Love and Power Handel's 'Ariodante' at Salzburg, reviewed by GIUSEPPE PENNISI At the 2017 Salzburg Summer Festival, the third offering on the theme of the fight for love and power is Georg Friedrich Händel's Ariodante. I saw and heard it on 22 August; during my stay in Salzburg, on 24 August I will complete the series with Alban Berg's Wozzeck. Ariodante had its debut in London in 1734, a period when Baroque was phasing out in the musical and operatic world and with the age of the Enlightenment, Neoclassicism, and with it opera seria, was advancing. The production takes this point very seriously and makes it central to the whole work. It had its debut at the Salzburg Whitsun Festival with two performances. Five additional performances will take place during the Summer Festival. Most likely, it will go to Montecarlo Opéra, also because the orchestra comes from that town and because it is having a tremendous success in Salzburg. It is primarily the product of a joint effort between Cecilia Bartoli (director of the Salzburg Whitsun Festival as well as the protagonist of the opera) and stage director Christof Loy. They fully rendered the point of transition shown in Ariodante, a point not fully understood in other productions that only stress the Baroque side.
Cecilia Bartoli in the title role of
Handel's 'Ariodante' at the Salzburg
Summer Festival. Photo © 2017
Monika Rittershaus. Click on the image
for higher resolution
The plot is based on the fourth canto of Ariosto's Orlando Furioso — the source of
several opera by Händel, and on the 1708 Italian novel Ginevra, principessa di
Scozia by Antonio Salvis. In short, Ariodante (Cecilia Bartoli) is about to marry
Ginevra (Kathryn Lewek), daughter of the King of Scotland (Nathan Berg).
However, the main pretender to the Kingdom of Scotland, Polinesso, Duke of
Albany (Christophe Dumaux) accuses the princess of betraying Ariodante, and
forges evidence. After several complications — eg Ariodante tries to commit
suicide, and in a duel, Ariodante's brother Lurcanio (Rolando Villazón) kills the
evil Polinesso — Ginevra's lady-in waiting Dalinda (Sandrine Piau) provides key
evidence that Polinesso plotted against the King. Hence, Ariodante and Ginevra
can happily marry.
Cecilia Bartoli in the title role of Handel's 'Ariodante' at the Salzburg Summer
Festival, with Kathryn Lewek as Ginevra. Photo © 2017 Monika Rittershaus.
Click on the image for higher resolution
Even though the story takes place among crusaders, Bartoli and Loy's basic idea is
that the opera deals with timeless and universal themes. Thus, there are no
cardboard castles or tinplate armour. The costumes by Ursula Rezenbrick belong to
different periods, reflecting the timelessness. The basic set is a grand white
neoclassical hall with several doors. The wall at the back of the stage opens onto
backgrounds made of eighteenth century paintings.
A scene from Handel's 'Ariodante' at the Salzburg Summer Festival. Photo ©
2017 Monika Rittershaus. Click on the image for higher resolution
Gianluca Capuano conducts Les Musiciens du Prince — Monaco, a special
ensemble established by the Prince of Monaco to play on period instruments or,
lacking these, on instruments modelled on those of the eighteenth century. This
makes for a very special delicate sound in the three quite well-balanced acts. The
first act is full of joy and pleasure, even though the 'bad guys' are in action. The
second act is melancholic, almost dreary. The third is very vivacious and joyful as
the intrigue is resolved. In each act, a small corps de ballet accompanies the action.
Cecilia Bartoli in the title role of Handel's 'Ariodante' at the Salzburg Summer
Festival, with Christophe Dumaux as Polinesso and dancers. Photo © 2017
Monika Rittershaus. Click on the image for higher resolution
The singers are the best available on the world market for this type of repertory.
Cecilia Bartoli is in a trouser role, enthralling the audience with her vocalizing and
mischievous acting. Christophe Dumaux, an excellent countertenor, and soprano
Sandrine Piau are enchanting. Kathryn Lewek surprises the spectators with her
clear timbre in impervious arias. It was a pleasure to hear Rolando Villazón again
in this type of repertory.
Sandrine Piau as Dalinda and Rolando
Villazón as Lurcanio in Handel's
'Ariodante' at the Salzburg Summer
Festival. Photo © 2017 Monika
Rittershaus. Click on the image for
higher resolution
After three and a half hours, there was a ten minute standing ovation.
Copyright © 24 August 2017 Giuseppe Pennisi,
Rome, Italy
ARIODANTE
GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
SALZBURG FESTIVAL
SALZBURG
AUSTRIA
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