Wolfgang Katschner, Lautten Compagney - George Frideric Handel: Teseo (2005)
NTSC 16:9 (720x480) | Italiano (LinearPCM, 2 ch) | (Dolby AC3, 6 ch) | 166 min | 7,46 (DVD9)
Classical | Label: Arthaus Musik | Sub: Italiano, English, Francais, Espanol, Japanese | Recorded: 2004
NTSC 16:9 (720x480) | Italiano (LinearPCM, 2 ch) | (Dolby AC3, 6 ch) | 166 min | 7,46 (DVD9)
Classical | Label: Arthaus Musik | Sub: Italiano, English, Francais, Espanol, Japanese | Recorded: 2004
This is a 2004 production of a Handel rarity performed at the beautiful setting of the Schlosstheater Potsdam under the direction of Axel Köhler. Handel's five act opera Teseo was premièred in 1713 at the Queen's Theatre in London. After flopping with his previous work Il pastor fido Handel reverted to the format of his big success Rinaldo and again created an opera with a heroic subject, sophisticated stagecraft and a big orchestra. Teseo has many qualities of the French tragédie lyrique style, such as the five-act structure, big arias in the middle of scenes (meaning that characters do not have to leave the stage after their arias), a secondary romantic couple, many short arias and recitatives and many accompanied recitatives. In 1947 the opera was rediscovered and staged for the first time after Handel's death at the Göttinger Händelfestpiele.