Organization

Conductor

Fransesco Corti

Singer

Countertenor

Jakub Józef Orliński

Tolomeo

Soprano

Mélissa Petit

Seleuce

Bass

Andrea Mastroni

Araspe

Giuseppina Bridelli

Elisa

Paul-Antoine Benos-Djian

Alessandro

Teatro Real de Madrid

Others

Il Pomo d'Oro

Tolomeo, re d'Egitto, HWV 25 -  (Ptolemy, King of Egypt, HWV 25)

Madrid

Spain

Teatro Real

Sala Principal

Tolomeo Händel

Public

Ptolemy, King of Egypt, HWV 25

Approved

La Cleopatra que urde entre bambalinas los siniestros ardides que componen la trama de esta ópera estrenada en 1728 en la Royal Academy of Music de Londres no es la misma que protagonizó, cuatro años antes, Julio César en Egipto, sino su bisabuela. Sus perversiones la convierten, no obstante, en una figura operística de primer orden: tras eliminar a su marido –Tolomeo VIII–, eleva al trono a su hijo Tolomeo IX –el titular de la ópera–, pero luego, insatisfecha, lo destierra y eleva al trono a su hermano menor –Tolomeo X, el Alessandro de la ópera–. Este recibe el encargo de matar a su expatriado hermano –exiliado con un falso nombre en la isla de Chipre– pero tras varios asesinatos frustrados, un intento de violación y un envenenamiento fallido, el amor fraterno se impone a los abominables designios de la fatal reina.

El estreno contó con Francesca Cuzzoni y Faustina Bordoni, dos artistas cuya rivalidad había provocado violentos tumultos en el patio de butacas un año antes, y con el mítico castrado Senesino, además del basso Giuseppe Maria Boschi, a quien Händel dedicó algunas de sus mejores arias di furore. Un plantel vocal que exige un reparto de primerísima fila como el que tendremos la suerte de disfrutar en esta ocasión.

español

The Cleopatra who schemes a sinister course of action behind the scenes which this opera narrates and that premiered in 1728 at the Royal Academy of Music in London is not the same woman who, four years earlier, stared in - Giulio Cesare en Egitto-, rather it is her great grandmother. Notwithstanding, her perversions created an operatic figure of the first order: after eliminating her husband –Tolomeo VIII–, she puts her son Tolomeo IX, the lead character of the opera, on the throne. Later, unsatisfied, Cleopatra deposes this son and replaces him with his younger brother –Tolomeo X - , Alessandro in the opera. The action begins as the latter receives the order to kill his punished brother, who lives an exile’s life with a false name on the island of Cyprus. After various frustrated assassination and rape attempts, and a faulty poison draught, brotherly love overcomes the abominable plans of the fatal queen.

The premiere opened with Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni, two artists whose rivalry had provoked violent upheaval in the stalls a year before, along with the legendary castrato Senesino, and the basso Giuseppe Maria Boschi, to whom Händel dedicated some of his best arias di furore. A group of voices which demands an absolutely first class cast such as the one we will have the privilege of enjoying on this occasion.

English

Ptolemy, King of Egypt, HWV 25 by Händel, From (2023/2023), Conductor Fransesco Corti, Teatro Real, Madrid, Spain

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues