Audiences will experience the critically acclaimed 2023 staging of Flavio, re de' Longobardi from the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival, directed by renowned countertenor Max Emanuel Cenčić. The production is brought to life with set design by Helmut Stürmer and costumes by Corina Gramosteanu. Two of the world’s leading countertenors will take on principal roles – Max Emanuel Cenčić as Guido and Rémy Brès-Feuillet in the role of Flavio. Latvian audiences will also enjoy performances by rising stars of the national opera scene: Katrīna Paula Felsberga as Emilia and Daniils Pogoriless as Lotario, both of whom have earned international acclaim. Making their Latvian National Opera debuts in major roles are mezzo-soprano Anna Amanda Stolere (Teodata), soprano Ilze Grēvele-Skaraine (Vitige), and tenor Mārtiņš Zvīgulis (Ugone). A large ensemble of extras will also feature prominently in the staging.
Though lesser known than Handel’s more frequently performed works, Flavio is a striking blend of courtly intrigue, romance, and subtle humor. King Flavio of the Lombards becomes infatuated with Teodata, the daughter of his trusted advisor, triggering a chain of events that weaves together love, political schemes, tragedy, and comedy.
Handel composed Flavio, re de' Longobardi in 1723, writing with the vocal brilliance of Italian soloists Senesino and Francesca Cuzzoni in mind – both celebrated figures in London’s opera scene. After a brief revival in 1732, the opera fell out of the repertoire and remained virtually unperformed until the 1960s. Today, it is considered a rare gem in the operatic canon.
This production will be performed only six times: on May 21 and 23, June 1, and again on December 17, 19, and 21.
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