Close dialogue 1/20 Next image Previous image Toggle caption The lion, the witch and the warblers: behind the scenes of Handel’s Alcina at the RBO – in pictures The colourful and larger-than-life staging of the opera about an enchantress who transforms her lovers into beasts returns to the Royal Opera stage this week. We went behind the scenes on the final day of rehearsals Alcina is at the Royal Opera House from 15 September to 3 October Emily D'Angelo as Ruggiero (left), photographed from the wings during rehearsals for Handel’s Alcina at the Royal Opera House. Alcina (Lisette Oropesa, centre) lures lovers to her island and transforms them into animals when tired of them.
Ruggiero is her latest conquest, but his wife, Bradamante, has vowed to rescue him from the enchantress’s clutches and arrives at the island in disguise as her brother Ricciardo Handel’s opera premiered in 1735 at London’s Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. Its story comes from Ludovico Ariosto’s epic poem Orlando Furioso (also the source of Handel’s opera Ariodante). In the Royal Opera’s current staging, Lisette Oropesa sings the title role, with Emily D’Angelo as Ruggiero.
This production premiered in 2022, directed by Richard Jones and designed by Anthony McDonald Victims succumb to their transformation into birds and animals after a squirt of Alcina perfume (here, backstage, with Mary Bevan) ‘This is a production aimed as much at the eye as at the ear,’ wrote Martin Kettle in his review of the 2022 staging Emily D’Angelo and the transformed lovers photographed from the wings during rehearsals Kieran Lund-Deely poses backstage. He is one of two trebles singing Oberto, also on the island searching for someone transformed by Alcina’s magic The opera ends – spoiler alert – with the smashing of the urn that protects Alcina’s magical powers and the restoration of the island’s magical creatures to human form. But Jones’s staging adds a witty twist … Emmys 2026: red carpet looks and outfits at TV’s biggest night – in pictures Zendaya, Nicole Kidman and Selena Gomez are among the stars at the 78th Primetime Emmys in Los Angeles, with actors from The Pitt, Pluribus, Hacks and Widow’s Bay walking the red (well, blue) carpet 1. #### Are you outraged by Sydney Sweeney – again?
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