Puppet Opera - Francesca Caccini's La Liberazione di Ruggiero

Venue: St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Date: Sun October 18, 2009 4:00pm
City: San Francisco
Price Range: $12 to $35
Tickets: 800-595-4849

Magnificat

Magnificat is pleased to welcome back the Carter Family Marionettes for a production Francesca Caccini's La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall' Isola d'Alcina, the earliest opera written by a woman. A re-telling of Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, the opera features magical transformations, burning oceans, winged monsters and, of course, exquisite melodies.

The daughter of one of the leading advocates for the nuove musiche of the 17th century, Francesca had a remarkable career as a teacher and performer, but above all as a highly respected composer. She wrote La Liberazione di Ruggiero dall' Isola d'Alcina in 1625 and sadly, it is her only surviving opera - she is thought to have written music for as many as nine staged works.

Long time Magnificat fans will remember fondly the two productions with the Carter Family Marionettes in 1998, the Parisian opera parody La Grandmere Amoureuse and Jacopo Melani's Il Girello. Among Magnificat's most popular productions, these collaborations were a critical success and a pleasure for all involved.

The cast includes Catherine Webster in the role of Alcina, Scott Whitaker as Ruggiero, José Lemos in the cross-gendered role of Melissa/Atlante and the Carters' troupe of wooden troublemakers.