Handel’s “Ariodante” with Pittsburgh Opera

Love. Deception. Redemption?

Ariodante is a beautiful opera seria composed by the prolific Baroque master George Frideric Handel in 1735. These will be its first-ever Pittsburgh performances.

Set in Medieval Scotland, Ariodante tells a tale of love, jealousy, deception, and redemption. Princess Ginevra, daughter of the King, loves and is betrothed to Prince Ariodante. Faithful to Ariodante, Ginevra rejects the advances of the vile Polinesso, Duke of Albany, who views Ginevra as a path to the throne. Dalinda, a lady of the court who has feelings for Polinesso, explains to Polinesso that Ginevra is marrying Ariodante.

Polinesso cynically tricks Dalinda into making it appear that Ginevra has been unfaithful to Ariodante. Both Ariodante and the King fall for the ruse. Ariodante contemplates suicide, and the King not only condemns his daughter, but disowns her too.

His trick proving successful, Polinesso orders his henchmen to kill the only witness to his plot—Dalinda. Ariodante, still grief-stricken at what he believes was Ginevra’s betrayal, runs off the henchmen and saves Dalinda. Dalinda, realizing that her love for Polinesso was a colossal mistake, explains to Ariodante that Ginevra was framed, and that Ginevra has been faithful to Ariodante all along.

Dalinda and Ariodante must work together to clear Ginevra’s name, and the King must learn of Polinesso’s treachery, so that Ariodante and Ginevra can live happily ever after.

Antony Walker conducts.