Handel: Xerxes (Serse)

Xerxes is one of Handel’s latest and most frequently performed operas, famous for its marvelous opening aria ‘Ombra mai fu’. At the centre of the confusing tragicomedy, very loosely based upon the life of Xerxes I of Persia, is a powerful and lovesick royal eccentric, King Xerxes. Rising opera star Gaëlle Arquez in the title role of Xerxes ‘scintillates with her nimble, luminous mezzo-soprano’, singing ‘irresistibly beautiful, impassioned, furious – but never mean’ (Frankfurter Rundschau). Frankfurt’s excellent Opera and Museum Orchester contributes ‘all sorts of refinements’ to this ‘musical smash hit’ (Deutschlandfunk) and ‘In Frankfurt Tilman Köhler ensures a three-hour short abundant and furious banquett … a great evening of opera’ (Deutschlandfunk).

Country:
Genre:

Drama,

Comedy,

Music,

History

Duration:

180 minutes

Year:

2018

Director:

Tiziano Mancini

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Company:

Unitel

Cast:
Louise Alder

Atalanta

Gaëlle Arquez

Xerxes

Tanja Ariane Baumgartner

Amastre

Brandon Cedel

Ariodate

Thomas Faulkner

Elviro

Crew:
Georg Friedrich Händel

Music

Constantinos Carydis

Conductor

Tiziano Mancini

Director

Tilmann Köhler

Stage Director

Francesco Cavalli

Original Concept