GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Serse GAËLLE ARQUEZ LAWRENCE ZAZZO ELIZABETH SUTPHEN LOUISE ALDER TANJA ARIANE BAUMGARTNER BRANDON CEDEL FRANKFURTER OPERN- UND MUSEUMSORCHESTER Conducted by CONSTANTINOS CARYDIS Staged by TILLMANN KÖHLER OPER FRANKFURT GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL Serse is one of Handel’s latest and most frequently performed operas, famous for its marvellous opening aria “Ombra mai fu”, in which the protagonist declares his love to a plane tree. This historic piece about the romantic entanglements at the court of King Serse, staged at the Oper Frankfurt and conducted by Serse Constantinos Carydis, features rising opera star Gaëlle Arquez in the title role (Xerxes) of Serse. The opera is a vicious persiflage about the longings, doubts, quirks and (self-) Orchestra Frankfurter Opern- destructive megalomania of a ruler. At the centre of the confusing tragicomedy, und Museumsorchester very loosely based upon the life of Xerxes I of Persia, is a powerful and lovesick Conductor Constantinos Carydis royal eccentric, King Serse. Engaged to Amastre, he strives to win over his brother Arsamene’s beloved Romilda. Love, envy and jealousy, wrongly Stage Director Tillmann Köhler delivered letters and misleading promises provoke all kinds of confusion – “a soap opera of the upper class with all of its threats and intrigues” (FAZ). Serse Gaëlle Arquez Arsamene Lawrence Zazzo Gaëlle Arquez “scintillates with her nimble, luminous mezzo-soprano”, singing Romilda Elizabeth Sutphen “irresistibly beautiful, impassioned, furious – but never mean” (Frankfurter Atalanta Louise Alder Rundschau). Counter-tenor Lawrence Zazzo, expertised in baroque singing, Amastre Tanja Ariane Baumgartner imbodies a powerful Arsamene, “agile and expressive, […] disposing of various Ariodate Brandon Cedel nuances” (FAZ). Elisabeth Sutphen as Romilda, Louise Alder as Atlanta and Elviro Thomas Faulkner Tanja Ariane Baumgartner as Amastre complete this colourful and passionate “singers’ competition with only winners” (Frankfurter Neue Presse). Produced by Metisfilm Frankfurt’s excellent Opern- and Museumsorchester contributes “all sorts Video Director Tiziano Mancini of refinements” to this “musical smash hit” Deutschlandfunk( ). All in all, the “spectacular staging” by Tilmann Köhler offers completely “new ways of hearing and seeing Handel” (FAZ). Length: approx 180’ Cat. no. A 050 50409 A production of UNITEL in co-production with NHK World Sales: All rights reserved · credits not contractual · Different territories · Photos: © Barbara Aumüller · Flyer: luebbeke.com Flyer: · contractualAumüller Barbara Different Photos: territories © · credits not rights · All reserved · Tel. +49.30.30306464 [email protected] Unitel GmbH & Co. KG, Germany · Tel. +49.89.673469-630 · [email protected] www.unitel.de.