Jerusalem Lyric Opera

Handel Alcina

The premiere of the opera Alcina by Georg Friedrich Handel on April 16, 1735, brought the composer unheard-of success. The plot of the opera is based on Ludovico Ariosto`s epic poem "Furious Roland". Alcina is a fantasy saga full of extraordinary adventures, where the sorceress Alcina deftly uses magical spells to bewitch her lovers. The last person to fall into her net was the valiant knight Ruggiero. The audience of the Jerusalem Lyric Opera Festival will have a unique opportunity to hear and see the true pearls of the Baroque era - "Verdi Prati", "Ah, mio ​​cor!" and "Mi restano le lagrime" - the most soulful arias ever created for the music scene.

A great moment to look out for
When we first meet Alcina in Act I’s beautiful, regal, “Di, cor mio” (“Tell them, dear heart”), she demonstrates no hint of her awful side but appears in this enraptured music to be simply a woman in love with Ruggiero.
You can watch Veronica Kurmanov’s performance of the aria below