Ravinia 2025 Issue 6

According to a notation on his autograph man- uscript, Handel completed the three-act opera Alcina on April 8, 1735—just eight days before its first performance at the Theatre Royal, Cov- ent Garden. The printed libretto, in side-by-side Italian and English, summarizes the storyline: THE Paladin Rogero, borne on the Hypog- rife [ the mythical hippogriff has the god of a horse and head and wings of an eagle ] , alights on the inchanted Island of Alcina, who falls in Love with him, and detains him in wanton Idleness from the Pursuit of Glory. Brad- amante, an Heroine of that Time promis’d in Marriage to Rogero, with the Assistance of her Governor Melisso, who carried with him the inchanted Ring that had been An- gelica ’s, undertook to free her Husband in the Manner here seen. But not contented with Rogero ’s Departure only, she is willing to destroy entirely the Inchantment of the Isle, and to restore to human shape many unhappy Knights, who were transformed by the Sorceress into Stones, Trees, and wild Beasts; and particularly, the Paladin Astolfo her Cousin, who being Shipwreck’d with his Son Oberto, and thrown on this Island, was by the Inchantress chang’d to a Lion; but she having Compassion for the Youth, suffered him to live, and in his own Form, comforting him for the Loss of his Father. –SYNOPSIS– Act One. During the day. The knight-heroine Bradaman- te searches for her husband, the paladin Ruggi- ero, the son of a Christian father and Saracen mother who has converted from Islam to Christianity. The hippogriff has whisked Rug- giero to the magical island of the sorceress Al- cina, somewhere east of India. Bradamante disguises herself as her brother Ricciardo and, accompanied by her guardian Melisso, is blown ashore on the magical isle. Fearing that Ruggi- ero has succumbed to Alcina’s sorcery, Melisso carries a magic ring that allows the wearer to break free of magic spells. Cover page of the libretto to Handel’s Alcina for the 1736 production at Covent Garden Morgana, the naïve twin sister of Alcina, wel- comes the two travelers and instantly falls for “Ricciardo” (not realizing that the knight is a woman in disguise) and abandons her own lover, Alcina’s general Oronte. Morgana escorts Bradamante and Melisso to Alcina’s court, where they find Ruggiero utterly entranced by the sorceress and oblivious to his past life and relationships. Bradamante rebukes Ruggiero, who mocks “Ricciardo” in return, declaring that he will never leave Alcina. Oronte discovers Morgana’s deceit and chal- lenges “Ricciardo” to a duel. Morgana rejects the enraged Oronte, who extracts revenge by telling Ruggiero that Alcina has become infatuated with “Ricciardo,” and, like all her previous lovers, Ruggiero will be turned into an animal. Ruggi- ero angrily confronts Alcina and demands that she prove her love by eliminating “Ricciardo.” Bradamante tries to reveal her true identify, but Ruggiero refuses to believe her. Growing increas- ingly desperate, “Ricciardo” embraces Morgana and asks her to tell Alcina that “I love another.” Act Two. That same night. While looking for Alcina, Ruggiero encounters Melisso, disguised as the knight’s former tutor Atlante, who places the magic ring on his finger. Ruggiero is instantly freed fromAlcina’s spell and longs for his beloved Bradamante. Bradamante once again reveals her true identity, but Ruggiero initially believes those words to be another of Alcina’s spells. Alcina and Morgana sense that something has changed with their lovers, though they cannot say what. Oron- te announces that Ruggiero is preparing to flee with Bradamante. Alcina’s magical illusion has been shattered, and her powers fade. In a rage, the sorceress throws away her magic wand. Act Three. Early the next morning. Morgana rediscovers her love for Oronte, who cautiously forgives her faithlessness. Meanwhile, Alcina’s efforts to regain Ruggiero’s affection end in failure. The knight, resolute in his quest for freedom, stands ready to seize it by force, if necessary. Bradamante and Ruggiero resolve to destroy the source of Alcina’s power—an urn contain- ing the magic ring. When Ruggiero throws the urn to the ground, the scene changes to a subterranean cavern containing men who have been transformed by Alcina’s spells into stones. They return to human form and cele- brate Ruggiero as their liberator. –Program notes © 2025 Todd E. Sullivan Gustave Doré’s etching of Ruggiero and the hippogriff after a battle from Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando furioso RAVINIA.ORG  • RAVINIAMAGAZINE 73