Ariodante Wiener Staatsoper

It is a work charged with jealousy and intrigue with struggles and betrayal Ariodante Handels first work for the then brand new Theatre Royal in Covent Garden At that time the composer was faced with fierce competition was financially stricken and on the rocks However he plucked up his courage while taking the waters and wrote the opera basing it on Ariostos epic poem Orlando furioso And he composed varied colourful music including the intimate aria Scherza infida which is considered one of the special highlights of Handels oeuvre to this day