Buxton Festival Revives 17th-Century Opera La Liberazione di Ruggiero

The Buxton Festival is presenting Francesca Caccini's 1625 opera, "La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall’Isola di Alcina," which holds the distinction of being the earliest surviving opera composed by a woman. This production is part of a larger festival lineup that also features operas from the 18th and 19th centuries by Handel and Pauline Viardot, respectively.

Caccini's work, originally premiered at the Medici court under the regency of Maria Maddalena of Austria, draws inspiration from Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso." The opera reimagines the narrative with a focus on female characters, portraying the warrior Ruggiero as a lovesick captive and featuring a central conflict between the sorceresses Alcina and Melissa over him. The plot also includes a chorus of Alcina's former lovers who have been transformed into plants and shrubs, contributing to a "deliciously semi-serious, mythical romp."

While the original 1625 premiere reportedly concluded with a horse ballet, the current production at the Buxton Festival focuses on the imaginative musical and dramatic elements of Caccini's composition. The opera is noted for its "girl-power" themes, a characteristic attributed to its premiere at a court led by a female regent. The review suggests that the opera is most enjoyable when it embraces its fantastical elements and moves away from excessive earnestness, highlighting its imaginative qualities even without the original elaborate staging.