Rinaldo was Handel’s first opera for London, a theatrical spectacle written when he was a 25-year-old rising star fresh off the boat from the continent. A tale of crusaders versus the infidel, it’s full of magic, monsters and mistaken identities, with a score chock-full of hits. For Pinchgut’s first foray into a Handel opera, the company has assembled an outstanding cast headed by British countertenor Jake Arditti. Alexandra Oomens sings Rinaldo’s beloved Almirena, with outstanding American countertenor Randall Scotting as her father Goffredo. Heading the opposition, Emma Pearson plays the sorceress Armida, with Adrian Tamburini as her lover Argante. Erin Helyard conducts. (See the feature from our November issue.)

Limelight Editor’s Choice

An absolute must for lovers of Handel, Rinaldo is a towering Baroque opera and a masterpiece of musical drama. This was the first Italian opera ever written for the London stage, and it catapulted the young Handel to fame and fortune with its brilliant display of arias, duets and orchestral effects, by turns ravishing and thrilling.

In this magical tale of chivalry and cunning, the knight Rinaldo battles the scheming sorceress Armida to rescue his beloved Almirena. This was the first Italian opera ever written for the London stage, and it catapulted the young Handel to fame and fortune with its brilliant display of arias, duets and orchestral effects, by turns ravishing and thrilling.

Countertenor Jake Arditti, who wowed us as Nero in The Coronation of Poppea (2017), returns to dazzle again as the heroic Rinaldo. Emma Pearson (Athalia, 2018) brings her golden and wonderfully flexible soprano to the evil sorceress Armida, and Carlo Vistoli (Artaserse, 2018) brings his beautifully burnished countertenor tones to the role of Goffredo. Stunning soprano Stacy Alleaume (The Loves of Apollo & Dafne, 2021) returns to Pinchgut to delight us in the role of Almirena.