Handel's Opera Seria 'Alcina' at Boston Conservatory at Berklee

The Conservatory's production of 'Alcina' runs November 17–20 at Boston Conservatory Theater.

October 26, 2016

The story of the sorceress Alcina revolves around a world made up of the souls of her former lovers. She lures heroes to her enchanted island where she transforms them into parts of nature such as animals, trees, and streams. When she captures Ruggiero the crusader, his fiancé disguises herself as a man and begins a quest in search of her lover.

Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s production of Alcina is conducted by Andrew Altenbach, music director of opera studies, and directed by Nathan Troup, associate director of Opera Studies.

Boston Conservatory at Berklee’s highly selective opera performance program accepts a limited number of students and prepares them for vibrant opera careers through specialized performance and audition training, a broad range of opportunities to perform publicly and refine musicianship, and focused studies in career building and entrepreneurship.

Performance opportunities are plentiful at the Conservatory. Voice and opera students are cast in fully staged operas, concert operas, operas for young audiences, and opera scenes. Students can also participate in choral ensembles, contemporary music ensembles, chamber music recitals, and many more.

More About Alcina

Magic spells, mistaken identities, romantic obsessions, missing loved ones, and illusions shattered by truth comprise the landscape of the enchanted island belonging to the sorceress Alcina and her sister Morgana. Written in 1735, this delightful gem lay in relative obscurity for more than 150 years, until a major revival starring Joan Sutherland—conducted by her husband Richard Bonynge, and directed by Franco Zeffirelli—sparked a Handel revival in the 1960s. Since then, numerous productions of Alcina have been presented with diverse artists singing the title role, including Arleen Augér, Renée Fleming, and Joyce DiDonato. The score contains the famous arias “Verdi prati,” “Tornami a vagheggiar,” and “Ah! mio cor,” among many others. The opera is sung in Italian with English supertitles, with music by George Frideric Handel, and libretto by Riccardo Broschi.

How to Purchase Tickets:

Online: Visit the Conservatory's Event page.

By Phone: 617-912-9222, Wednesday–Friday, 12:00–5:00 p.m.

In Person: Tickets to Boston Conservatory at Berklee events may be purchased in person at the Berklee Box Office, located at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Avenue, Monday through Saturday, between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Beginning one hour prior to the performance start time, tickets may be purchased in person directly at the venue where the event is taking place. All day-of ticket sales are subject to availability.