G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34

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Georg Frideric Handel
Opera Alcina, HWV 34

Ref.	HWV 34
German Title	Alcina
English Title
Event	Italian Baroque Opera
Composed	Composed by Georg Frideric Handel in London; Completed score: April 8, 1735 1^st performance: April 16, 1735: London, Covent Garden Theatre (18 performances to 2 July, end of the season) Revival: - November 6, 1736: London, Covent Garden Theatre (3 performances to 1737 - June 10 & 21, 1737: London, Covent Garden Theatre Performed by J.S. Bach & Collegium Musicum in Leipzig, c1735, arias from Alcina: - Aria (Ruggiero): Mi lusinga il dolce affetto (Mvt. 40, Act II) - Aria (Alcina): Di, cor mio, quanto t'amai (Mvt. 9, Act I)
Text	After Riccardo Broschi's L'Isola d'Alcina, 1728, from Ludovico Ariosto's, Orlando furioso
Text	Italian Text \| Translations: English-3
Scoring	Soloists: 3 Sopranos, 2 Altos, Tenor, Bass Orchestra: ? Persons: Alcina, a sorceress - Soprano Morgana, her sister - Soprano Oberto, a boy searching for his father - Soprano Ruggiero, a knight - Mezzo-soprano Bradamante, in love with him - Mezzo-soprano or Contralto Orontë, lover of Morgana - Tenor Melisso, former tutor of Ruggiero - Bass or Baritone Astolfo, Oberto's dad - a non-singing part
Scoring	Score
References	BGA: - \| NBA: - \| BC: \| HG edition: 86 \| HHA edition: II/33Z \| First Published:
Commentary	AMG \| Wikipedia
Music	Music Examples
Discussions

Contents
Complete Recordings Recordings of Individual Movements	Discussions

Recordings
Complete Recordings

1	G.F. Handel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 (abridged)
Ferdinand Leitner
Kölner Rundfunkchor (Cologne Radio Choir) / Cappella Coloniensis
Soprano [Alcina]: Joan Sutherland; Tenor [Ruggiero]: Fritz Wunderlich; Soprano [Morgana]: Jeannette Van Dijck; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Norma Procter; Tenor [Oronte]: Nicola Monti; Baritone [Melisso]: Thomas Hemsley; Speaker: Paul Hoffmann
Golden Melodram 37002 Verona 27011 Deutsche Grammophone		May 15, 1959	2-CD / TT: 152:01 3-CD / TT: 156:46 2-CD / TT:
Recorded live by Westdeutschen Rundfun [WDR] in Cologne, Germany. Ruggiero role is transposed from mezzo to tenor. 1^st recording of Alcina by J. Sutherland. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

2	Händel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 [129:49]
Nicola Rescigno
Fenice Theater Chorus / Fenice Theater Orchestra
Soprano [Alcina]: Joan Sutherland; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Monica Sinclair; Soprano [Morgana]: Cecilia Fusco; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Oralia Dominguez; Tenor [Oronte]: Nicola Monti; Bass [Melisso]: Plinio Clabassi
Bella Voce 107220		Feb 19, 1960	2-CD / TT: 136:28
Recorded at Teatro La Fenice, Venice, Italy. 2^nd recording of Alcina by J. Sutherland. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

3	Handel: Alcina/Giulio Cesare In Egitto - Highlights
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 [162:20]
Richard Bonynge
London Symphony Orchestra
Soprano [Alcina]: Joan Sutherland; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Teresa Berganza; Soprano [Morgana]: Graziella Sciutti; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Monica Sinclair; Tenor [Oronte]: Luigi Alva; Bass [Melisso]: Ezio Flagello; Soprano [Oberto]: Mirella Freni George Malcolm (Harpsichord)
London 433723 Decca 467063 London OSA-1361		Mar-Apr 1962	3-CD / TT: 211:06 3-CD / TT: 3-LP / TT:
Recorded at Walthamstow. 1^st recording of Alcina by R. Bonynge. 3^rd recording of Alcina by J. Sutherland. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

4	Handel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Brian Priestman
Handel Society of New York Orchestra & Chorus
Soprano [Alcina]: Cristina Deutekom; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Beverly Wolff; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Lucia Valentini-Terrani; Tenor [Oronte]: John Stewart; Bass [Melisso]: Paul Plishka
Gala GL 100.584		Mar 26, 1974	2-CD / TT
Recording of part of a performance given in the Carnegie Hall, New York (+La clemenza di Tito +Medea + Turandot - excerpts).

5	Handel: Alcina [P-2]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Raymond Leppard
Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Soprano [Alcina]: Christiane Eda-Pierre; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Teresa Berganza; Soprano [Morgana]: Valerie Masterson; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Ann Murray; Tenor [Oronte]: Philip Langridge; Bass [Melisso]: François Loup; Soprano [Oberto]: Christiane Château
The Opera Lovers 197801		Jul 1978	2-CD / TT:
Recorded live at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, France.

6	Handel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Richard Bonynge
Choir & Orchestra of the Sydney Opera (Australian Opera)
Soprano [Alcina]: Joan Sutherland; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Margreta Elkins; Soprano [Morgana]: Narelle Davidson; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Lauris Elms; Tenor [Oronte]: Richard Greager; Baas [Melisso]: John Wegner; Soprano [Oberto]: Anne-Maree McDonald
Celestial Audio 112 Premiere Opera 6099 House of Opera 8863		Feb 12, 1983	3-CD / TT: DVD / TT: DVD / TT:
Recorded live at the Sydney Opera House, Australia. 2^nd recording of Alcina by R. Bonynge. 4^th recording of Alcina by J. Sutherland.

7	Handel: Alcina [P-1]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 [207:19] G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34: Appendix 1. Recitative. Vo cercando la bella cagion [0:23] G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34: Appendix 1. Aria. Bramo di trionfar [6:53] G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34: Appendix 2. Chorus. Questo è il cielo de' contenti [2:18]
Richard Hickox
Opera Stage Chorus / London Baroque Sinfonia (Orchestra Leader: Simon Standage)
Soprano [Alcina]: Arleen Augér; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Della Jones; Soprano [Morgana]: Eiddwen Harrhy; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Kathleen Kuhlmann; Tenor [Orontë]: Maldwyn Davies; Bass [Melisso]: John Tomlinson; Soprano [Oberto]: Patrizia Kwella Ian Watson (Harpsichord); Dorothy Linell (Lute); John Heley (Cello)
EMI Classics 58681		Jul 19-23, 1985	3-CD / TT: 216:53
Recorded at No. 1 Studio, Abbey Road, London, England. 1^st recording of Alcina by A. Augér. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \|Amazon.de

8	Handel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Richard Divall
Choir & Orchestra of the Sydney Opera
Soprano [Alcina]: Joan Sutherland; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Sally-Anne Russell ?; [Morgana]: W. Dixon; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Elizabeth Campbell; Tenor [Oronte]: Glenn Winslade; Bass [Melisso]: Stephen Bennett; Soprano [Oberto]: Anne-Maree McDonald ?
House of Opera 1810		1987	DVD / TT:
Recorded live at Sydney Opera House, Australia. 5^th recording of Alcina by J. Sutherland.

9	Handel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
William Christie
Chœurs du Grand Teâtre Geneve / L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Soprano [Alcina]: Arleen Augér; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Della Jones; Soprano [Morgana]: Donna Brown; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Kathleen Kuhlmann; Tenor [Oronte]: Jorge Lopez-Yañez; Bass [Melisso]: Gregory Reinhart; Soprano [Oberto]: Martina Musacchio
House of Opera 206 Lyric Distribution 8034		May 1990	DVD / TT: 176:16 VHS / TT:
Recorded live at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, Switzerland. 1^st recording of Alcina by W. Christie. 2^nd recording of Alcina by A. Augér.

10	Handel: Alcina [P-1]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Rinaldo Alessandrini
Orchestra of Gran Teatro del Liceo
Soprano [Alcina]: Luba Orgonasova; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Vesselina Kasarova; Soprano [Morgana]: Maria José Moreno; Contralto [Bradamante]: Ewa Podleś; Tenor [Oronte]: Francísco Vas; Bass [Melisso]: Felipe Bou
Premiere Opera 1277		Mar 1999	2-CD / TT:
Recorded live at at the Liceu in Barcelona, Spain.

11	Handel: Alcina [3-CD] Handel Edition: Alcina - Orlando [6-CD]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34 [190:20]
William Christie
Les Arts Florissants Choir & Orchestra
Soprano [Alcina]: Renée Fleming; Mezzo-Soprano [Ruggiero]: Susan Graham; Soprano [Morgana]: Natalie Dessay; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Kathleen Kuhlmann; Tenor [Oronte]: Timothy Robinson; Bass [Melisso]: Laurent Naouri; Soprano [Oberto]: Juanita Lascarro; Tenor: Maurizio Rossano; Bass: Laurent Collobert; Bass: Eric Demarteau; Tenor: Michael Loughlin-Smith
Erato 80233 Warner Classics 69653 House of Opera 132 Premiere Opera 6396		Jun 10-13, 1999	3-CD / TT: 190:20 6-CD / TT: DVD / TT: DVD / TT:
Recorded live at Paris Opera (Palais Garnier), France. 2^nd recording of Alcina by W. Christie. Buy this album at: 3-CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Highlights CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de Highlights Music Download: Amazon.co.uk 6-CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

12	G.F. Händel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Alan Hacker
Staatsorchester Stuttgart (or Württembergische Staatsoper)
Soprano [Alcina]: Catherine Naglestad; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Alice Coote; Soprano [Morgana]: Catriona Smith; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Helene Schneiderman; Tenor [Oronte]: Rolf Romei; Bass [Melisso]: Michael Ebbecke; Soprano [Oberto]: Claudia Mahnke; Actor [Astolfo]: Heinz Gerger
ArtHaus 100338		1999	DVD / TT: 159:00
Recorded live at Staatsoper Stuttgart, Germany. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

13	Händel: Alcina [P-3]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Nicholas McGegan
Opernkammerchor der Hochschule für Musik and Theater (Hannover) / Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (San Francisco)
Soprano [Alcina]: Yvonne Kenny; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Wilke te Brummelstroete; Soprano [Morgana]: Cyndia Sieden; Contralto [Bradamante]: Ewa Wolak; Tenor [Oronte]: Iain Paton; Bass [Melisso]: Andrew Foster-Williams; Soprano [Oberto]: Susanne Rydén
Göttingen Handel Society		2002	CD, VHS / TT:
Recoded at Göttingen Händel Festival, Germany.

14	Handel: Alcina
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Daniel Beckwith
Orchestra of the New York City Opera
Soprano [Alcina]: Christine Goerke; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Katherine Goeldner; Soprano [Morgana]: Lauren Skuce; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Jennifer Dudley; Tenor [Oronte]: Keith Jameson; Bass [Melisso]: Joshua Winograde
Premiere Opera 1246		Sep 24, 2003	2-CD / TT:
Recorded live at the New York City Opera, NY, USA.

15	G.F. Händel: Alcina [P-1]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34
Ivor Bolton (Conductor, Harpsichord)
Bayerisches Staatsorchester
Soprano [Alcina]: Anja Harteros; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Vesselina Kasarova; Soprano [Morgana]: Veronica Cangemi; Mezzo-soprano [Bradamante]: Sonia Prina; Tenor [Oronte]: John Mark Ainsley; Bass [Melisso]: Christopher Purves; Soprano [Oberto]: Deborah York Axel Wolf (Theorbo); Markus Mollenbeck (Violoncello); Robert Howarth (Harpsichord)
Farao Classics 108080		Jul 2005	3-SACD / TT: 193:33
Recorded at Prinzregentheater, Munich, Germany. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \| Amazon.de

16	Handel: Alcina [P-1]
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34, edited by Alan Curtis
Alan Curtis
Il Complesso Barocco
Mezzo-soprano [Alcina]: Joyce DiDonato; Mezzo-soprano [Ruggiero]: Maite Beaumont; Soprano [Morgana]: Karina Gauvin; Contralto [Bradamante]: Sonia Prina; Tenor [Oronte]: Kobie van Rensburg; Bass [Melisso]: Vito Priante; Soprano [Oberto]: Laura Cherici; Soprano: Marina Bartoli
Archiv Produktion 477737		Sep 2007	3-CD / TT: 202:43
Recorded at Chiesa di Sant' Agostino, Tuscania, near. Viterbo, Italy. Buy this album at: 3-CD: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de \| Amazon.de Music Download: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

Recordings of Individual Movements (performed by J.S. Bach)

M-1	Graham Pushee: Handel Arias
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34: Aria (Ruggiero) Mi lusinga il dolce affetto [5:58]
Paul Dyer
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra
Counter-tenor: Graham Pushee
ABC Classics 770014		Aug 1-6, 1994	CD / TT: 65:35
Recorded at Eugene Goossens Hall, ABC Ultimo, Sydney, Australia. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

M-2	Xenia Meijer: Arias by Purcell, Handel, Mozart
G.F. Handel: Opera Alcina, HWV 34: Aria (Ruggiero) Mi lusinga il dolce affetto [6:21]
Jac van Steen
Neues Berliner Kammerorchester (New Berlin Chamber Orchestra)
Mezzo-soprano: Xenia Meijer
Berlin Classics 11362		Oct 7-12, 1996	CD / TT: 62:43
Recorded at Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany. Buy this album at: Amazon.com \| Amazon.co.uk \| Amazon.de

The list of recordings was compiled by Aryeh Oron (November 2008 - July 2011)

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Last update: ‎March 12, 2012 ‎16:03:09