R.B. Schlather’s Ariodante Open Rehearsal

Rehearsal of Handel’s Ariodante

Directed R.B. Schlather; Conducted by Geoffrey McDonald

with Doug Balliet, Ambur Braid, Jamie Van Eyck, Elliot Figg, Noemy Gagnon-Lafrenais, Samuel Levine, Randall Scotting, Paul Morton, Kristin Olson, and Tamara Wilson.

Composed in 1734 by George Frideric Handel

American artist and opera director R. B. Schlather reunites with regular collaborator conductor Geoffrey McDonald in a workshop to create a new performing edition of George Frideric Handel’s ARIODANTE. This is in preparation for a performance of the opera in New York City, completing a trilogy started by Schlather in 2014 of Handel operas based on Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem “Orlando Furioso.” These performances have been praised in the New York Times by art critic Holland Cotter as a “fascinating species of performance art,” and by classical music editor Zachary Woolfe “a valuable project that deserves enthusiastic support,” and a “gift given to the NY cultural scene.”

Opera programming at NS is supported in part by a generous gift from Alberto Cribiore.