Anthony Roth Costanzo (as Amadigi) onstage with Amanda Forsythe (Melissa) in Boston Baroque’s performance of Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula in the Calderwood Studio at WGBH in Boston
The Boston Baroque orchestra, led by music director Martin Pearlman and joined by four formidable soloists, performed Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula April 21–24 in the Calderwood Studio at WGBH in Boston. The semi-staging was directed by Louisa Muller, and played before a small audience. The April 22 performance was live-streamed on Idagio.
The soloists—countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role; mezzo Daniela Mack as Amadigi’s friend-then-rival Dardano; soprano Camille Ortiz singing Oriana, desired by both friends; and soprano Amanda Forsythe as Melissa, the scorned sorceress—made an authoritative quartet of Handel voices. Sung in Italian, and performed on period instruments, Amadigi serves as an appropriate pandemic recovery opera, with no chorus and spare instrumentation.
Muller directed insightfully. The libretto specifies neither setting nor time for this fantasy romance, and begs for interpretation. Muller created a through-choreographed masterpiece of subtle action.
Ten huge rectangular video screens surrounded the stage, a gradually shifting backdrop. Singers had a large lip at the stage front, and ample room to circle around and above the back of the instrumentalists. All the space was imaginatively used. This wasn’t “just wander upstage looking anguished” directing—every action had meaning.
The venue, a television studio with about 300 seats, sounded harsh and unfriendly to voices and instruments. It was small, at least. Small enough for a period orchestra playing fff to sound over-loud at times—a rarity in early-music performances. Balances were achieved throughout, however, and the four soloists—all accustomed to dominating much larger venues—were a pleasure to experience so intimately, no matter how unforgiving the acoustic.
Handel provides all four soloists with constant challenges. Costanzo, his demanding role ranging from authority to vulnerability, is a generational talent in this repertory. An opening aria, “Non sà temere questo mio petto,” accompanied with a vigorous string figure, showed heroic force. “Sussurrate, onde vezzose,” a pastorale aria, explored a lyric side. He sang multiple breathtaking arias, and the part sat perfectly in Costanzo’s range.
Forsythe sang and acted passionately. Hopelessly determined to win over Amadigi, she casts spells, turns night into day, conjures the dead, and afflicts characters with hallucinations.
Her act one aria, “Ah! spietato,” an affect-less largo plea with generous oboe (Kathryn Montoya) accompaniment, explored simplicity. “Destero dall’empia Dite”—uptempo, with coloratura runs and trumpet accents—showed different side of her instrument. Forsythe sings this repertory with intelligence and facile beauty.
Forsythe and Costanzo both have stolen Handel stages in the past, but here they shared. Mack, in a trouser role as Dardano, and Ortiz, a sturdy, lyric soprano, sang impressively. Mack, the lowest voice of the quartet, has a dark, muscular instrument, standing out with contrasting richness and warmer timbres. Her “Pugnero contro del fato,” from the opening scene, and “Pena tiranna io sento al core,” with prominent bassoon (Andrew Schwartz) accompaniment, resonated emphatically.
Ortiz’s lushly romantic “O caro mio tesor”—her love song for Amadigi—added to the rich fabric of high voices. Later, as she believes mistakenly that Amadigi has died, a drawn-out, slow-tempoed “S’estinto è l’idol mio” calms the frenetic action.
Solo arias flow one after another in Amadigi. The lack of ensemble voices—there are just two duets, one quartet finale, and no chorus, along with Peter Sykes’s masterful harpsichord accompaniment to the arias—made this sometimes seem like an art-song recital.
The orchestra was impeccably rehearsed, with precise, invested playing throughout. Muller’s staging was equally precise. The blocking and acting were masterfully guided, and stage placement felt organic. Semi-staged works rarely show such ease.
Costumes were largely rustic garb, in understated earth tones, save for Oriana’s turquoise prom dress. Forsythe’s Goth make-up directly stated her character’s villainy. The video backdrop shifted deliberately, mainly evoking land- or seascapes.
Amadigi di Gaula went unperformed for centuries after its debut run (1715), but has had multiple revivals since mid-century. Boston Baroque previously performed it in 2009. This staging, a new production created with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, will return in April 2023 in San Francisco, with Costanzo again in the title role.—Keith Powers