Season 2012/13 Season 2013/14 Georg Friedrich Händel
ALESSANDRO
Dramma per musica in tre atti, HWV 21 Libretto: Paolo Rolli
Released by Decca in autumn 2012 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Alessandro The Oeuvre
George Frideric Händel’s opera Alessandro is The lead role was sung by the castrato a masterpiece: a tale of jealous lovers coupled Francesco Bernardi, better known as Senesino. with criticism of authorities. The new produc- The two female leads were sung by Francesca tion by PARANASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS in Cuzzoni as Lisaura and Faustina Bordoni as cooperation with Megaron in Athens and the Rossane. Cuzzoni was the established star so- support of the Onassis foundation presents prano of the London opera scene; Bordoni was this rarely performed work in both a concer- new to London, but made a huge impression tante and a staged version. The internationally with her first performances. The press soon saw celebrated choreographer and director Lucinda her as the new Cuzzoni, which sparked a legen- Childs produces the staged version with a first- dary rivalry between the two. Händel turned class line-up of singers, featuring stars such as this situation to artistic advantage by engaging Max Emanuel Cencic, Julia Lezhneva and Vivica both divas for his opera and using the tension Genaux. The CD of this production will be issued between them to add spice to the drama. by Decca in September 2012. To manage the conflict between the two prima Händel composed the opera Alessandro in 1726 donnas, Händel took great care to give their for the Royal Academy of Music in London. Paolo roles exactly equal prominence, with the same Rolli’s libretto was inspired by Ortensio Mauro’s number of arias for each. Despite this, the com- La Superbia d’Alessandro. The central prota- petition between the two overflowed into heated gonist of the drama is the historical figure of clashes between their respective admirers. Alexander the Great. Alexander is falling into delusions of grandeur, believing himself to be The opera was so successful that the theatre the son of Jupiter. In his vanity he demands had to put on more than the two performances that his subjects treat him as a deity. When his per week that were originally planned. Despite Macedonian army captains have had enough the piece’s popularity, however, the run only of this, they hatch a scheme to bring him back extended to eleven performances in all, be- down to earth. In a parallel storyline, Alexan- cause Senesino declared himself indisposed and der finds himself caught in a love triangle with withdrew from the music scene. To all appea- Rossane and Lisaura. rances, he had had enough of the constantly sparring divas. The competition between the two However, the drama within the opera was easily ladies grew in ferocity and, in a performance of matched by the excitement that accompanied Bononcinis’ opera Astianatte, culminated in its creation, rehearsals and production in 1726. fisticuffs on stage.
1 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Alessandro Cast
Max Emanuel CENCIC (Alessandro) Adriana KUCEROVA (Lisaura, May and June 2013)
Laura Aikin (Lisaura, Sept. 2013) Blandine STASKIEWICZ (Rosanne, May and June 2013)
Julia LEZHNEVA (Rosanne, Sept. 2013) Xavier SABATA (Tassile)
2 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Alessandro Alessandro Cast Leading Team
Juan SANCHO (Leonato) Lucinda CHILDS (Stage director)
George PETROU (Musical director)
Pavel KUDINOV (Clito)
Paris MEXIS (Set & costumes)
Vasily KHOROSHEV (Cleone) ARMONIA ATENEA (Orchestra)
3 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Alessandro Photos of 2013’s Leading performances Team
by Martin Kaufhold
4 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Photos of 2013’s performances
by Martin Kaufhold
Standing ovations in Amsterdam and Bucharest:
5 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Reviews
L’Opera (Alessandro Mormile), 11_2012 (CD)
6 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Reviews
Opernwelt, 12_2012 (CD) Opernglas, 12_2012 (CD)
7 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Reviews
Opernglas, 12_2012 (CD) Diapason, 11_2012 (CD) Opernwelt, 01_07_2013 (Wiesbaden)
8 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Stage Alessandro productions in concert in 2015 in 2015
6 June 2015 21 March 2015 Goethe Theater Bad Lauchstädt, DE Bozar, Brüssel, BE
8 June 2015 15 September 2014 Goethe Theater Bad Lauchstädt, DE Tchaikovsky Hall, Moskow, RU in 2013 in 2013
Alessandro: Max Emanuel CENCIC Alessandro: Max Emanuel CENCIC Lisaura: Adriana KUCEROVA Lisaura: Laura AIKIN | Adriana KUCEROVA (4.6.) Rossane: Blandine STASKIEWICZ Rossane: Julia LEZHNEVA | Blandine Tassile: Xavier SABATA STASKIEWICZ (4.6.) Clito: Pavel KUDINOV Tassile: Xavier SABATA Leonato: Juan SANCHO Clito: Pavel KUDINOV Cleone: Vasily KHOROSHEV | Nicholas Leonato: Juan SANCHO SPANOS (28.6., 30.6.) Cleone: Vasily KHOROSHEV | Nicholas SPANOS (4.6.) Musikalischer Leiter: George PETROU Musikalischer Leiter: George PETROU Orchester: Armonia Atenea Orchester: Armonia Atenea
25 May - Premiere 4 June Staatstheater Wiesbaden, Wiesbaden, DE Opéra de Vichy, Vichy, FR 31 May 8 Sept. Opéra royal de Versailles, Versailles, FR Concert in Bukarest, at the Enescu Festival, RO 2 June 21 Sept. Opéra royal de Versailles, Versailles, FR Concertgebouw Amsterdam, NL 28 June 23 Sept. Megaron Athens, GR Salle Pleyel, Paris, FR 30 June 25 Sept. Megaron Athens, GR Concert at Theater an der Wien in Vienna, AT
9 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Audio Production Partners
This opera was recorded by DECCA Classics. The recording has taken place in September of 2011 at the Megaron Concert Hall, in Athens.
Published: September 2012. in 2013
Zaterdagmatinee
10 ALESSANDRO PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS
Awards
A production of Armonia Atenea, promoted by Parnassus Arts Productions, presented in Opéra Royal de Versailles and Händel- Festspiele Halle
dec/jan 2012 2012
Grand Sponsor of the Orchestra 2011-2013
FRIENDS OF MUSIC Stanley Sadie The Friends of Music Society of Athens Handel Recording Sponsor of the cd Production Award 2013
The Production Alessandro has been approved and co-funded by the Hellenic Republic and the European Union, under the NATIONAL STRATEGIC REFERENCE FRAMEWORK 2007 – 2013 - Improvement of Cultural Services / Operational Programme of Attica – Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, Sport and Culture / General Secretariat for Culture.
PARNASSUS ARTS PRODUCTIONS T: +43(0) 2252 82777 Management: Georg Lang F: +43(0) 2252 82777-50 Erzherzog Wilhelm Ring 13 E: [email protected] A - 2500 Baden, Österreich www.parnassus.at