Seattle Opera makes a rare foray into Baroque opera with Handel’s Alcina

After a successful run of Wagner’s Das Rheingold in August, Seattle Opera is back with Handel’s Alcina.  From its premiere at Covent Garden in 1735, Alcina was one of Handel’s most successful operas, with a record 18 subsequent performances.  But Alcina’s early success wasn’t enough to keep it on stage. Performances were scarce until it emerged in the 1950s as a vehicle for soprano Joan Sutherland.  This marks the first time the Seattle Opera has staged Alcina.  Despite the Emerald City’s vibrant early-music community, Alcina’s arrival also marks one of only a handful of times the company has attempted an opera by one of the Baroque masters. 

Along with Ariodante and Orlando, Alcina is based on Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando Furioso.  Stocked with magical elements, chivalry and sometimes raw emotion, it is ideal source material for Baroque opera.  Alcina begins with Melissa and Bradamante (disguised as her brother Ricciardo) arriving on Alcina’s enchanted island looking for Bradamante’s lover Ruggiero, who has gone missing.  Ruggiero appears soon enough, bewitched by one of Alcina’s spells.  From this point forward, the six principal characters weave their numerous plights together through multiple da capo arias and vocal acrobatics.  Eventually, Ruggiero is freed from Alcina’s spell and returns to Bradamente – and in the end Alcina accepts losing Ruggiero as her powers fade.         

In the realm of opera, the allure of realism often veils comprehension rather than illuminating it.  Many operas necessitate a degree of willing suspension of disbelief from both the performers and the audience.  Alcina’s over-the-top story adheres to this tradition, allowing the audience to focus on the vocal prowess of the singers and the grand dramatic gestures at play.  What set Alcina apart was the remarkable depth the vocalists imbued into their characters, surpassing the typical conventions of classical-era opera.  Vanessa Goikoetxea, in her rendition of Alcina, portrays a character teeming with anxieties over abandonment and self-doubt, despite her apparent dominion.  As her powers wane, Goikoetxea’s performance resonates with increasing desperation. Countertenor Randall Scotting exudes masculine bravado, yet unveils unexpected vulnerability when reflecting on his predicament, forming a captivating juxtaposition.  Ginger Costa-Jackson’s portrayal of Bradamante, on the other hand, brims with unwavering devotion for her lover – and intense aggression toward her lover’s captor.  The duo of Oronte, portrayed by tenor John Marzano, and soprano Sharleen Joynt as Morgana, beautifully exemplify the poignant yearning frequently thwarted by love’s capricious nature.  

Christine Brandes, who is an expert in Baroque opera, led a clean and focused performance by the Seattle Symphony musicians in the pit.  Handel’s ear-catching score sprang to life, adding crucial instrumental depth to each aria.  Playing with great precision and clarity, the orchestra’s color extended to the opera’s ever-present continuo adding pop to otherwise perfunctory recitatives.  

While Alcina delivers strong vocal performances and lithe orchestral accompaniment, the production falls short in comparison.  The set is minimalist: just a scattering of blue-green chairs and a background screen showing computer-generated images of Alcina’s enchanted realm.  Dim lighting mutes what color there exists in the sets and modern costumes.  The melancholic tone of the opera seems even more so as a consequence – missing the opportunity to add small production touches that could have added an emotive vibrancy that would’ve matched the efforts of singers and orchestra alike.

Seattle Opera’s return with Handel’s Alcina is a milestone for the city’s opera scene. Any opera by Handel is a welcome change from the usual fare and appropriate for the company’s 60th anniversary season.  The performance shines through the strong vocal and orchestral artistry.  The exceptional character portrayals along with the Brandes’ sensitivity, make this production a memorable exploration of one of Handel’s most popular operas.