Tune in on Saturday, June 27 at 1 p.m. to hear George Frideric Handel’s Ariodante. Although this opera enjoyed a successful royal premier in London, 1735, the work fell into obscurity for nearly 200 years before its revival in the 1970s. WRTI will carry a 2025 broadcast by the Pygmalion Ensemble and Paris Opera Chorus as a part of the WFMT Opera Series.
Set in Scotland, Ariodante is a tale of political deception, romance, and tragedy. Princess Ginevra, daughter of the King, is in love with Prince Ariodante. Ariodante’s rival, Polinesso, realizes that his political status would be advanced were he to be married to Ginevra instead. He conspires with a woman, Dalinda, to trick Ariodante into believing that Ginevra has been unfaithful.
This production will feature soprano Jacquelyn Stucker as Princess Ginevra, bass Luca Tottoto as her father, the King of Scotland, and mezzo-soprano Cecilia Molinari as her betrothed, Ariodante. Countertenor Christophe Dumaux is the rival Polinesso, and soprano Sabine Devieilhe is his co-conspirator, Dalinda. Raphaël Pichon leads the Pygmalion ensemble and the Paris Opera Chorus.
Cast:
Jacquelyn Stucker as Ginevra
Cecilia Molinari as Ariodante
Luca Tittoto as the King of Scotland
Christophe Dumaux as Polinesso
Sabine Devieilhe as Dalinda
Ru Charlesworth as Lurcanio
Enrico Casari as Odoardo
Conducted by Raphaël Pichon