BWW Reviews: Sorcery from DiDonato and English Concert at Carnegie Hall in Handel's ALCINA

The great mezzo Joyce DiDonato stripped for her art at Sunday's wonderful performance of Handel's ALCINA with the English Concert under conductor Harry Bicket. For the first act, when she was still at the height of her powers as a sorceress, she came out in a gorgeous black and gray gown with the puffy sleeves she favors. Act II, she lost the sleeves but not the attitude, as her power waned. For the final act, powerless, she lost her petticoat and showed some leg. Oh yes: She sounded glorious all the while.

The vast Carnegie Hall stage looked surprisingly sparse at the start of the concert: Seven soloists, a 21-piece early music ensemble and conductor Bicket at the harpsichord. No chorus, no scenery. It gave no indication of what was in store--except, of course, the stellar reputations of the artists involved and that of the opera itself. The result was almost-dizzying virtuosity from top to bottom, including the conductor on the keyboard and the many solos of lead violinist Nadja Zwiener.

A major success

According to the program notes, ALCINA was one of the major successes of Handel's career--an innovative, fantasy opera that fought against changing tastes in the London music scene in the third decade of the 18th century. Italian opera was out of favor with jaded British audiences, so Handel countered with an emphasis on choruses, ballet and magical scenery. As I alluded, none of this was on stage for this performance. It hardly made a difference. The music and performance produced all the magic the opera promised, thanks to the singers and the orchestra, under the tender care of Bicket.

Enchanted island

This Baroque masterpiece tells of a sorceress who lures men to her enchanted island, holds them captive with her spells and then, like the HG Wells tale, "The Island of Dr. Moreau," she turns them into beasts (and, here, to selected inanimate objects). Alcina is done in by love, when her latest conquest, Ruggiero (mezzo Alice Coote in a pants role) is saved by his beloved Bradamante (another mezzo, Christine Rice) and her tutor Melisso (bass Wojtek Gierlach).

Other characters include Morgana Alcina's sister (soprano Anna Christy); Oberto (soprano Anna Devin), a young boy searching for his transmogrified father; and Oronte (tenor Ben Johnson), Alcina's general and Morgana's one-time love. There wasn't a weak link.

A wonderful fit for DiDonato

Traditionally a soprano role--Joan Sutherland did the Carnegie premiere in 1965--Alcina fits DiDonato perfectly, as each of her six major arias shows the erosion of her powers. I particularly enjoyed "Ombre pallide," so dramatic and fluid as DiDonato's voice poured out, as she feels she is losing Ruggiero. When he finally leaves in Act III, and her witchcraft has abandoned her, Alcina's final aria, "Mi restano le lagrime," is an exquisite, plaintive plea for release from her sorrow, which DiDonato executed gorgeously.

Endless showpieces

The role of Ruggiero suited Coote well, particularly in the spectacular showpiece, "Bramo di trionfar" in Act I. Originally written for a castrato, with breathtaking (literally) coloratura, it held no challenges for Coote. She also did well with the leisurely, "Verdi prati," with its simple phrasing and thoughtful singing. Soprano Christy was winning as Morgana, particularly in her performance the charming music of "Tornami a vagheggiar" in Act I. Though tenor Johnson kept reminding me of the wimpy Don Ottavio from DON GIOVANNI, I greatly enjoyed his cynical "Semplicetto a donna credi" in Act I and was happy he had the last laugh, when Morgana came crawling back to him. I wished that bass Gierlach had more to sing as Melisso, for I found his luxurious voice exemplary.

Alcina may have lost her powers by the end of the opera, but ALCINA continues to bewitch audiences when it is done as beautifully as DiDonato and company did at this performance.

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Photo: Joyce DiDonato in Handel's ALCINA.

Photo by Richard Termine.

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