How to: Handel Opera
A brief retrospection

The Portland Opera Company is celebrating an entire season of women in opera for 2007-2008. The next scheduled performance is Handel’s, Rodelinda. In hopes of attending this performance, I figured I’d go back and listen to this opera and perhaps profile it and the styles attributed not only to Handel, but the transitioning styles of the time, highlighting the genre’s continued evolution in the early and mid 18th century. After a brief overview, I point out some of these attributes used throughout Rodelinda – should you find yourself with a recording or even at a live performance.

Some history:

Handel (1685-1759) was sorely neglected for nearly 150 years when it came to opera. In fact, his genius was really only celebrated through a small collection of orchestral works and oratorios. It has been quite recently that his operas received more attention – many critics ranking his works alongside the great Romantic composers of the genre. The reason for such neglect has more to do with the shift in styles and forms for the Classical and Romantic eras (remember, it was not until Mendelssohn’s direction of the St. Matthew Passion when Bach’s music began its “revival”). This shift, especially in the 18th century, for the most part repudiated Baroque elements that governed composition and performance, not to mention the lifestyle.
Handel wrote 36 operas, many of which shared their greatest successes in London. Rodelinda (1725) was Handel’s seventh full-length opera written for the Royal Academy of Music. “The story is based on the account in Paul the Deacon’s Gesta langobardorum of events in 7th century Lombardy, and is set in Milan. The Milanese throne, bequeathed to Bertarido by his father, has been usurped by Grimoaldo, Duke of Benevento. In consequence Bertarido was forced to flee to Hungary, leaving behind his wife Rodelinda, his young son Flavio and his sister Eduige, but he has now returned to Milan in disguise, having put out a report of his own death. Grimoaldo, despite being betrothed to Eduige, seeks the love of Rodelinda: marriage to her will confirm his hold on Milan. The story gained significance because of the heroine’s strong-willed devotion to her husband and her display of emotions. This, along with an articulate story, believable characters, and well-written music fitting for the dramatic situations made the opera one of Handel’s most reputable.


What to listen for:

Now, it’s very easy to think that the eras of which historians describe changed overnight. However, there is always a gray area, and transitions usually lasted well into the eras that are so set to their respective dates. Rodelinda is a fine example of a work caught in the middle of such a transition. Handel is, without a doubt, a Baroque composer, and anyone who studies his collection of works will agree. However, new ideas began to emerge during the first quarter of the 18th century; ideas attributed to new philosophies and ways of living: what we refer to as the Enlightenment, and Handel was not impervious to them. Italian opera was a “product of the same forces that were reshaping all other genres of music in the age of the Enlightenment. It aimed to be clear, simple, rational, faithful to nature, of universal appeal, and capable of giving pleasure to its audiences without causing them undue mental strain.” Reason, balance, simplicity, clarity; these elements affected every aspect of life, including music. The chief characteristics of early Classical, late Baroque opera include performances in three acts, alternating recitatives and arias with the action developed in the recitatives, while arias were more dramatic soliloquy; usually a principal character from the preceding scene would give expression to appropriate feelings about the current situation. The orchestra played very little more than an accompaniment role (other than the overture). Recitatives were accompanied by a harpsichord and a sustaining bass instrument. The aria was the center of Italian opera, and for the earlier part of the 18th century, the da capo aria dominated the scene.


Handel’s work is no exception to these qualities. In Rodelinda we can hear a blend of styles; from the pulsing, Baroque rhythms and use of musical affections (whether in vocal or instrumental parts) to the distinct use of da capo aria and recitative obbligato.


Spotlight aria:

Rodelinda, Act 1: Dove sei, amato bene

Written for alto-castrato, it is typically performed today by a counter tenor or mezzo-soprano. Here is a remarkable performance of the aria by Andreas Scholl:




As you listen, try to follow the typical da capo aria form. In this particular aria it is as follows:

Ritornello, A, Ritornello, B, Ritornello, A

Scholl’s performance is delicate and balanced, not over embellished at all; each section clearly distinct from one another. A beautiful piece of music, it has also stood on its own from time to time as a solo work. I did read that this aria was not in the original score, but added by Handel later, and has even undergone several alterations by editors. I would believe it only because I’ve heard a 1959 recording of the same aria and it is much different:


Handel: Rodelinda (mp3)


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I truly look forward to this performance by Portland’s Opera Company. It will be interesting to see which version is used in the upcoming production.
I humbly admit that prior to learning about this opera, I didn’t really spend much time with Handel, other than his more famous works. Perhaps some of you out there admit the same. I’m definitely hooked and look forward to hearing more!

There are countless articles and reviews about this opera. However, I will have to leave that investigation to your own devices. Good luck and happy listening!