Alcina (HWV 34) is an opera seria by George Frideric Handel. Handel used the libretto of L'isola di Alcina, an opera that was set in 1728 in Rome by Riccardo Broschi, which he acquired the year after during his travels in Italy. Partly altered for better conformity, the story was originally taken from Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso (like those of the Handel operas Orlando and Ariodante), an epic poem. The opera contains several musical sequences with opportunity for dance: these were composed for dancer Marie Sallé.
| Librettist | Anonymous adaptation of L’isola di Alcina by Riccardo Broschi (after Orlando furioso by Lodovico Ariosto) |
| Date of composition | 1735 |
| Premiered | 1735, April 16th (Covent Garden Theatre) in London, UK |
| Type | Opera Seria |
| Catalogue | HWV 34 |
| Spoken language | Italian |
| Instruments |
Voice (Soprano)
- Alcina, a sorceress
Voice (Soprano) - Morgana, her sister Voice (Soprano) - Oberto, a boy searching for his father Voice (Castrato) - Ruggiero, a knight Voice (Contralto) - Bradamante, Ruggiero's betrothed, disguised as her own brother, the knight Ricciardo Voice (Bass) - Melisso, former tutor of Ruggiero Voice (Tenor) - Oronte, lover of Morgana Orchestra |
| Links |
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| Autotranslations beta |
Georg Friedrich Haendel: Alcina, HWV 34 Georg Friedrich Händel: Alcina, HWV 34 Georg Friedrich Händel: Alcina, HWV 34 |