Handel Rinaldo

Ethereal music a fairytale plot beguiling sets and spectacular special effects all these combined to make Rinaldo in every sense the Baroque multimedia event par excellence In his modern staging producer David Alden has resorted to all kinds of magic tricks The mourning Almirena for example is suspended like a paralysed mermaid in a neonblue water tank for her aria Lascia chio pianga Armida constantly struggles to make her obstinate pet Hydra see reason and no expense is spared on the stylishly artistic dance interludes The characters move in an ironic blend of Twenties look trendy club scene and sacro kitsch Unsurprisingly operagoers were quick to latch onto such a glittering and star studded production Indeed there can be no doubt that the American David Daniels is the undisputed star of this Munich production even alongside the other famous names on the cast list