Opera For Everyone

Ep. 142 Alcina by Handel


Listen Later

A seemingly all-powerful sorceress rules over her own island domain.  She enchants not only nature, but also men, who are helpless to resist her charms.  And when she does tire of those besotted men, it’s nothing that a transfiguration from man to animal cannot solve.  However, downfall is imminent when she truly falls in love with one of the ensnared men.  It turns out that this man’s true love is a fearsome warrior woman, whose skills rival those of Charlemagne’s famed paladins.  (Big trouble for Alcina!)

This story, like Vivaldi’s Orlando Furioso (Ep. 130), is based on a 16th century epic that is so rich in dramatic detail and power that it has inspired countless works of art in myriad mediums.  Alcina is one of the three (!) operas by Handel based on this source material.  Join Pat and guest co-host Jeff Counts as we meet this enchanting woman and the characters who surround her.


Jeff Counts is the general manager of the Grand Teton Music Festival and KHOL’s film critic.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Opera For EveryoneBy Opera for Everyone

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

209 ratings


More shows like Opera For Everyone

View all
Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,430 Listeners

The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

The LRB Podcast

314 Listeners

Met Opera Guild Podcast by Metropolitan Opera Guild

Met Opera Guild Podcast

287 Listeners

The Political Scene | The New Yorker by The New Yorker

The Political Scene | The New Yorker

4,113 Listeners

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff by Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff

Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff

1,985 Listeners

Conversations with Tyler by Mercatus Center at George Mason University

Conversations with Tyler

2,461 Listeners

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast by Joshua Weilerstein

Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

2,191 Listeners

Stay Tuned with Preet by Preet Bharara

Stay Tuned with Preet

32,354 Listeners

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

7,244 Listeners

Aria Code by WQXR & The Metropolitan Opera

Aria Code

2,525 Listeners

How To! with Mike Pesca by Peach Fish Projects

How To! with Mike Pesca

1,945 Listeners

The Ancients by History Hit

The Ancients

3,358 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

15,506 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,525 Listeners

Empire: World History by Goalhanger

Empire: World History

2,552 Listeners