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Overview
Synopsis
The famous knight Ruggiero has been abducted by a sorceress. His fiancee, Bradamante, is determined to rescue him. Borrowing some of her brother’s clothes, she disguises herself as a soldier and convinces her guardian. Melisso, to sail to the enchanted island where this sorceress lives. But Alcina’s power is incredibly strong. Ruggiero does not remember his former life, and he does not recognise Bradamante. It is only through the use of a magic ring that Ruggiero is able to see Alcina’s island for what it really is: a desolate wasteland. Everything he has grown to love and know as home has been a lie.
Being reunited with Bradamante strengthens Ruggiero and he is able to defeat Alcina, and her hordes of monsters on the island. He destroys the urn that contains all of her power and the wild beasts and rocks transform back into men; all of Alcina’s former lovers that have been trapped on the island. Wickedness is defeated and true love triumphs.
With some of Handel’s most well-known melodies, and a plot full of heroism, love, and witchcraft, Alcina remains as popular with audiences today as it was at its first performance in 1735.
Show Information
- Music
- George Frederic Handel
- Libretto
- Antonio Marchi
- Based on the Play/Book/Film
- Orlando Furioso by Ariosto
- Category
- Opera
- Age Guidance
- Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)
- Number of Acts
- 3
- First Produced
- 1735
- Genres
- Fairy Tale/Fantasy, Historical/Biographical
- Settings
- Period, Fantasy/Imaginary, Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- ancient times, enchanted island
- Cast Size
- medium
- Orchestra Size
- Medium
- Dancing
- Some Dance
- Licensor
- None/royalty-free
- Ideal For
- College/University, Professional Opera, Mostly Female Cast, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Handel completed the score for Alcina just days before the premiere performance on 16 April 1735, adding final revisions to his work until right up until 8 April. It was at a time when his name alone would draw a huge crowd in London, and he was just into his first season at the new theatre in Covent Garden. With his oratorio’s Deborah and Athalia, as well as his Organ Concerto Op.4 No. 4, all being mounted at the same time, it is difficult to imagine the pressure that the composer was
to read the context for Alcina and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
When her fiancé, Ruggiero, was abducted by a sorceress, Bradamante took it upon herself to rescue him. She has disguised herself as her brother ‘Ricciardo� and, along with her guardian Melisso, has travelled to the enchanted island where the sorceress Alcina lives. At the foot of the mountains they are trying to work out which way to go, when they are approached by a woman (‘Oh Dei! Quivi non scorgo�). The woman (Morgana) queries how two valiant warriors have arrived here, and they
to read the plot for Alcina and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Lead |
Either Gender |
Mezzo-Soprano, Countertenor |
|
|
Lead |
Female |
Contralto |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Soprano |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Tenor |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Bass |
|
|
Supporting |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Countertenor, Treble/Boy Soprano |
|
|
Ensemble |
Either Gender |
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contralto |
Songs
Overture
Act One
Scene One
- Recitative ‘Oh Dei! Quivi non scorgo� - Bradamante, Melisso, Morgana
- No. 1 Aria ‘O s’apre al riso� - Morgana
Scene Two
- No. 2 Chorus ‘Questo è il cielo di contenti�
- No. 3 Gavotte
- No. 4 Sarabande
- No. 5 Menuet
- No. 6 Gavotte
- Recitative ‘Ecco l’infido� - Bradamante, Ruggiero, Melisso
- No. 7 Aria ‘Di�, cor mio� - Alcina
Scene Three
- Recitative ‘Generosi guerrier� - Oberto, Melisso, Bradamante
- No. 8 Aria ‘Chi m’insegna� - Oberto
Scene Four
- Recitative ‘Mi ravvisi, Ruggier� - Bradamante, Ruggiero, Melisso
- No. 9 ‘Di te mi rido� - Ruggiero
Scene Five
- Recitative ‘Qua dunque ne veniste� - Oronte, Bradamante
Scene Six
- Recitative ‘Io sono tua difesa� - Morgana, Bradamante
- No. 10 Aria ‘� gelosia� - Bradamante
Scene Seven
- Recitative ‘Io dunque� - Oronte, Morgana
Scene Eight
- Recitative ‘La cerco invano� - Ruggiero, Oronte
- No. 11 Aria ‘Semplicetto!� - Oronte
Scene Nine
- Recitative ‘Ah! Infedele� - Ruggiero, Alcina
Scene Ten
- Recitative ‘Regina, il tuo soggiorno� - Bradamante, Alcina, Ruggiero
- No. 12 Aria ‘Si, son quella� - Alcina
Scene Eleven
- Recitative ‘Se nemico mi fossi� - Bradamante, Ruggiero
Scene Twelve
- Recitative ‘Bradamante favella?� - Ruggiero, Melissa, Bradamante
- No. 13 Aria ‘La bocca vaga� - Ruggiero
Scene Thirteen
- Recitative ‘A quai strani perigli� - Melisso, Bradamante
Scene Fourteen
- Recitative ‘Fuggi, cor mio� - Morgana, Bradamante
- No. 14 Aria ‘Tornami a vagheggiar� - Morgana
Act Two
Scene One
- No. 15 Arioso ‘Col celarvi� - Ruggiero
- Recitative ‘Taci, taci codardo� - Melisso, Ruggiero
- No. 16 Arioso ‘Qual portento� - Ruggiero
- Recitative ‘Atlante, dove sei?� - Ruggiero, Melisso
- No. 17 Aria ‘Pensa a chi geme� - Melisso
Scene Two
- Recitative ‘Qual odio ingiusto� - Bradamante, Ruggiero
- No. 18 Aria ‘Vorrei vendicarmi� - Bradamante
Scene Three
- Recitative ‘Chi scuopre al mio pensiero� - Ruggiero
- No. 19 ‘Mi lusinga il dolce affetto� - Ruggiero
Scene Four
- Recitative ‘S’acquieti il rio sospetto� - Alcina, Morgana
Scene Five
- Recitative ‘E la tua pace� - Morgana, Alcina, Ruggiero
- No. 20 Aria ‘Ama, sospira� - Morgana
Scene Six
- Recitative ‘Non scorgo nel tuo viso� - Alcina, Ruggiero
- No. 21 Aria ‘Mio bel tesoro� - Ruggiero
Scene Seven
- Recitative ‘Regina, io cerco invano� - Oberto, Alcina
- No. 22 Aria ‘Tra speme e timore� - Oberto
Scene Eight
- Recitative ‘Regina, sei tradita� - Oronte, Alcina
- No. 23 ‘Ah, mio cor!� - Alcina
Scene Nine
- Recitative ‘Or che dici� - Oronte, Morgana
Scene Ten
- Recitative ‘All’offesa� - Oronte
- No. 24 Aria ‘E un folle� - Oronte
Scene Eleven
- Recitative ‘Ed è ver� - Oberto, Bradamante
Scene Twelve
- Recitative ‘Eccomi a’piedi tuoi� - Ruggiero, Bradamante, Morgana
- No. 25 Aria ‘Verdi prati� - Ruggiero
Scene Thirteen
- No. 26 Accompagnato ‘Ah! Ruggiero crudel� - Alcina
- No. 27 ‘Ombre pallide� - Alcina
- No. 28 Entrée des Songes agréables
- No. 29 Entrée des Songes funestes
- No. 30 Entrée des Songes agréables effrayés
- Le combat des Songes funestes et agréables
Act Three
No. 31 Sinfonia
Scene One
- Recitative ‘Voglio amar� - Oronte, Morgana
- No. 32 Aria � Credete al mio dolore� - Morgana
- Recitative ‘M’inganna� - Oronte
- No. 33 Aria ‘Un momento di contento� - Oronte
Scene Two
- Recitative ‘Molestissimo incontro� - Ruggiero, Alcina
- No. 34 Aria ‘Ma quando tornerai� - Alcina
Scene Three
- Recitative ‘Tutta d’armate squadre� - Melisso, Ruggiero, Bradamante
- No. 35 Aria ‘Sta nell’ircana pietrosa tana� - Ruggiero
Scene Four
- Recitative ‘Vanne tu seco ancora� - Melisso, Bradamante
- No. 36 Aria ‘All’alma fedel� - Bradamante
Scene Five
- Recitative ‘Niuna forza l’arresta� - Oronte, Alcina
- No. 37 Aria ‘Mi restano le lagrime� - Alcina
Scene Six
- No. 38 Chorus ‘Sin per le vie del sole�
- Recitative ‘Già vicino e’l momento� - Oberto, Alcina
- No. 39 Aria ‘Barbara!� - Oberto
Scene Seven
- Recitative ‘Le lusinghe� - Bradamante, Alcina, Ruggiero
- No. 40 Trio ‘Non e amor� - Alcina, Bradamante, Ruggiero
Scene Eight
- Recitative ‘Prendi, e vivi� - Ruggiero, Oronte
Scene Nine
- Recitative ‘Ah, mio Ruggier� - Alcina, Ruggiero, Bradamante
Scene Ten
- Recitative ‘Misera, ah, no!� - Alcina, Morgana
Final Scene
- Recitative ‘A che tardi?� - Melisso, Ruggiero, Oronte, Bradamante, Alcina, Morgana
- No. 41 Chorus ‘Dall’orror di notte cieca� - Tutti
- No. 42 Entrée
- No. 43 Tamburino
- No. 44 Chorus ‘Dopo tante amare pene�
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
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Guide Written By:
Wendy Silvester
Singer and vocal coach based in the UK.