The play of good and bad, of black and white

Chamber Opera of Vienna [ENA] This new autumn season of 2022 started at the Chamber Opera Wien with the stunning performance of the baroque opera La Liberazione by Francesca Caccini. The opera written centuries ago is actual nowadays. And not only because it is about the eternal topic of love. But also, because with all ongoing conflicts and political uncertainty it is actual nowadays as never before.

“You gave us weapons and told to go and fight each other” – saying protagonists in the opera. The opera is about love between Alcina and Ruggiero but it is also about the struggle and intrigues introduced by the revenge full Melissa who urges Ruggiero to return back to the battlefield. The opera is remarkable in several aspects. The sound of baroque instruments made this evening to an unforgettable experience. It was performed by La Folia Barockorchester und is a result of cooperation between several arts and music universities such as the Arts University of Graz, the Music and Arts Private University of the City of Vienna and the University for Music and Performing Arts of Vienna.

It was the first opera which was written by a woman. Francesca Caccini lived in the 16th-17th century in Florence and was a contemporary of Monteverdi. She was a composer of the early baroque time. Her opera “La liverazione di Ruggiero” is considered as the oldest opera written by a woman composer. “Life would leave me before the desire to study and the passion I have always brought to virtu... because this is worth more than any treasure or fame” - were the words of Francesca Caccini about her passion to music.

The role of Alcina was performed by Sara Gouzy who won several international prices such as the competition of the Chamber Opera in the castle of Rheinsberg or the international songs competition in Saint-Petersburg. She is known for her performances in Giulio Cesare by Händel, Il Mondo della luna by Haydn, in Pelléas et Mélisande by Debussy, in Le nozze di Figaro by Mozart, in Jenůfa by Janáček and in L'elisir d'amore by Donizetti. La Liverazione is to enjoy at the Chamber Oper of Vienna until the 21st of October.