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| A scene from the opera Semele, staged by the Zurich Opera House in Switzerland in December 2018 – Photo from www.opernhaus.ch |
The three-act comic opera was composed in 1743 by George Frideric Handel of Germany, based on a pre-existent opera libretto by English playwright and poet William Congreve.
It was first performed at Convent Garden Theatre in London in 1744.
Semele is about the erotic upheaval between the gods and mankind. Princess Semele has a liaison with the god Jupiter and becomes so megalomaniacal that she desires to be immortal like him.
The Zurich Opera House’s production featured Italian mezzo-soprano opera singer Cecilia Bartoli as Princess Semele.
The screening is part of the Saigon Classical Music Group’s project “From Alpha to Opera” which aims to introduce the world’s classical operas and ballets.
Before the screening, there was a talk about the opera, hosted by veteran composer Trần Như Vĩnh Lạc.
