Baroque Opera: Wiener Staatsoper's Alcina
Not only was this visit to the Wiener Staatsoper a first for me (a Handel Baroque opera), but also, apparently, a first for the Staatsoper. I was informed that they either have not, or very unusually have utilized before this production of George Frideric Handel's Alcina period instruments, tuning, and technique for a Baroque work. Despite this focus on historical accuracy and musical fidelity, the staging and the set were relatively modern in many ways, taking some liberties with even the ideas of the original story (an arrival on a balloon rather than a hippogryph, for instance). I will say that the production felt very long, with a lot of da capo arias. That said, it was extremely well put together, and the abilities of the singers, though not without a few stumbles, were astounding. I must here enter one apology: I do not know Alcina well enough, and the information on the internet is scarce enough such that I will be unable to give aria names, but will...