Handel Rodelinda opera to a libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym. Directed 2011 by Stephen Wadsworth at the Met. Stars Renée Fleming (Rodelinda), Joseph Kaiser (Grimoaldo), Shenyang (Garibaldo), Stephanie Blythe (Eduige), Andreas Scholl (Bertarido), Iestyn Davies (Unulfo), and Moritz Linn (Flavio). Harry Bicket conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Continuo: Harry Bicket, harpsichord (recitative); Bradley Brookshire, harpsichord (ripieno); David Heiss, cello; and Daniel Swenberg, theorbo and baroque guitar. Set design by Thomas Lynch; costume design by Martin Pakledinaz; lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski. Directed for TV by Matthew Diamond; Music Producer Jay David Saks; Supervising Producers Mia Bongiovanni and Elena Park; Producers Louisa Briccetti and Victoria Warivonchik. Sung in Italian. Released 2012, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: A-
Rodelinda is considered one of Handel’s greatest works, but the newcomer must contend with some of the ugliest character names in all literature and a also be aware of a backstory to the opera. There was a virtuous King Bertarido married to Queen Rodelinda, and they had a son, Prince Flavio. The ambitious nobleman Grimoaldo was engaged to Bertarido’s sister, Eduige. Grimoaldo usurped the throne, and Bertarido escaped into the countryside. Unable to find allies, Bertarido floated a false story, believed by almost everyone, that he had died. His plan was to sneak back into the palace and lead Rodelinda and Flavio into safe exile in another country. Got that?
Meet Rodelinda (Renée Fleming ), now a prisoner in a neglected room in the palace, lamenting her loss:
Grimoaldo (Joseph Kaiser standing below on the left) surprises everyone by breaking his engagement with Eduige (Stephanie Blythe standing on the right) and proposing marriage to Rodelinda. This would be a prudent move for Rodelinda under the circumstances, but she instantly turns Grimoaldo down asserting that no one can make her into a coward! So now Grimoaldo has managed to unite both women in the palace against him:
We shall see that Grimoaldo, although too ambitious, has a sense of honor and a conscience. But he is too often influenced by the evil Duke Garibaldo (Shenyang):
Eduige has her own agenda:
And evil Garibaldo has yet another idea. He will seduce Eduige and use her as a stepping stone to the throne for himself!
Now poor Bertarido (Andreas Scholl), unaware of all these intrigues, has slipped back into the palace disguised as a stable-hand. The stable is right next to a monument raised in his memory:
Rodelinda visits the monument and speaks to the spirit of her lost husband. She also speaks of Grimoaldo’s proposal of marriage. Of course, Bertarido overhears this and jumps to the conclusion that Rodelinda has been unfaithful to his memory. It will take several arias to get this straightened out!
Meanwhile, evil Garibaldo makes his move on Eduige, and he is repulsed:
Now we come to a truly “baroque” plot twist from Rodelinda. She observes that she cannot marry Grimoaldo while her son is the true king:
So she agrees to marry if Grimoaldo will, before her own eyes and his ministers, kill her son in cold blood! Even Grimoaldo is aghast, and Rodelinda has to help him aim the pistol!
Flavio bravely offers himself up as sacrifice. Duke Garibaldo signals for Grimoaldo to fire. But Roselinda has one final word: if she remains Queen married to the new King, she will do everything in her power to make life a siege of torment and suffering for all involved in the killing:
Grimoaldo can’t bring himself to murder the child. Garibaldo philosophizes:
After more typical baroque plot contortions, Bertarido and Roselinda are reunited:
Eduige sees a glimmer of hope:
And the usurper has seconds thoughts about his deeds:
I forgot to mention earlier that there was one good guy in the court, Unulfo (Iestyn Davies), who remained loyal to Bertarido. His reward is that he gets run through with a sword by accident. But don’t worry, looks like he’s going to be OK. Now Grimoaldo has had a complete change of heart. He makes up with Eduige and restores the throne to Bertarido. (Grimoaldo and Eduige will retire to a remote province where they will run a medieval bed and breakfast.)
As always, the acting and story-telling at the Met is superb. 2011 was early in the HDVD era and the Met was still learning how to package opera for display in movie theaters around the world. So it’s understandable that the PQ is a tad soft. This whole production has low light on the stage and an atmosphere of medieval gloom. Our screenshots look a bit drab, but the show looks OK in the HT. I thought the scaled-back baroque orchestra sounded a bit weak. The singers are all great, even Stephen Blythe, who was more appealing than I expected her to be. (I do think that the dawn of HDVD was also the twilight of the two-ton soprano). Handel’s arias are as relentless as army ants reducing the bulk of a fallen elephant. The story is a bit sappy, but who’s to complain about the good morals and happy ending. I’ll grade this an A-.
Here are two YouTube clips that are pretty good if a bit dark: