Is Handel the new Puccini? You might think so, given his current visibility in London. This Ariodante, hot from its Paris staging at the Théâtre des Champs- Élysées, followed well- received performances of Orlando, Agrippina and Poro, with Giulio Cesare and Amidigi to come. It is now easy to cast Handel – easier than Puccini – and directors have wised up to the sophistication of his plots. Emotionally and psychologically they are right up-to-date – none more so than Ariodante, which portrays sexual love as a blinding force, potentially destructive and prone to manipulation.
The visual trappings of Lukas Hemleb’s staging were left behind in Paris, but the repartee of a well-integrated cast survived the Channel crossing, making this as near to a full dramatic representation as you can get in concert. Much of the credit lies with Caitlin Hulcup, the Australian mezzo who stood in for an indisposed Angelika Kirchschlager and sang as if she were predestined for the title role. She rode the fearsome coloratura of her great Act 1 aria with aplomb. In “Scherza infida” she wrung our hearts, while “Dopo notte” showcased her open-heartedness as well as her brilliant way with the da capo decoration. The voice filled out as the evening progressed, and she clearly has the temperament for the big occasion.
Her Ginevra was Danielle de Niese, the soprano every man fell in love with in her two Handelian summers at Glyndebourne. Here she played the tragedienne as successfully as her Glyndebourne Cleopatra had been the comedienne, without losing an ounce of sexiness along the way. She remains a performer to her fingertips. Topi Lehtipuu’s Lurcanio and Olivier Lallouette’s King were the best of the rest.
My reactions to Christophe Rousset and his Talens Lyriques were more guarded. Everything sounded immaculately organised, but the musical line was so streamlined that dramatic contours were flattened. Words and notes tell us we should be touched more than this. It took some shine off an evening that, at more than four hours, was almost too long for its own good.
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