Organization

Conductor

Conductor (+7)

Giovanni Antonini

Countertenor (+5)

Franco Fagioli

Tolomeo

Soprano (+2)

Giulia Semenzato

Seleuce

Mezzo-soprano (+4)

Giuseppina Bridelli

Elisa

Christophe Dumaux

Alessandro

Théâtre des Champs-Elysées

Chamber Ensemble

Il Giardino Armonico

Orchestra

Basel Chamber Orchestra

Baritone (+5)

Riccardo Novaro

Araspe

Franco Fagioli, a “star” among today’s countertenors to perform a little-known work by Handel.

After  Berenice , we stay in Egypt this time to follow the adventures of Tolomeo. The work predates Berenice by a few years and was premiered at the King's Theater in the spring of 1728 with a cast bringing together several star singers of the time, including Faustina Bordoni, Francesca Cuzzoni and the castrato Francesco Bernardi, known as Il Senesino. A real "star" at the time, Il Senesino created several title roles by Handel including, in addition to that of Tolomeo , those of Flavio, Giulio Cesare, Tamerlano, Rodelinda, Scipione, Admeto, Siroé, Orlando… Like many of Handel's operas, the work had a long dormant period before being rediscovered in 1938 in Göttingen. Argentinian countertenor Franco Fagioli, who plays the title role here, is also a "star" of this demanding repertoire where his virtuosity has been shining for several years now. 

Production Theater des Champs-Elysées

Fotografies