Something of a pall was thrown over last year’s Karlsruhe Handel Festival by an unfortunate accident involving the elaborate scenery for Max Emmanuel Cencic’s production of Handel’s Arminio, which led to its being performed more as a costumed oratorio than the spectacle intended.  It is good to be able to report that the intended production is on view without mishap at this year’s festival.  There are some changes in the cast, but not deleterious ones, and indeed one of the newcomers is a revelation.

The complex set comprises two revolving parts, an inner and an outer, which occasionally move counter to each other, providing a dynamic aspect to the mise en scène.  The main locale is the interior of an aristocratic palace which, given the late 18th century costumes, we can equate with Versailles, and the action thus moves from colonial classical Rome to the French Revolution.  Cencic (as director) highlights the impact of troubled times on an aristocratic family, rather than beating a more nationalistic drum, as in the rather unfortunate production of the same work at Halle in recent years (the Arminio-as-Siegfried one). 

The opera opens with said family – Arminio, his wife Tusnelda, their son and daughter – seated at a sumptuous table, attended by four footmen, when interrupted by the forces of the Roman general Varo (based on the historical figure Publius Quinctilius Varus).  But he is a decent enough type, albeit hankering after Tusnelda;  the real villain is Arminio’s father-in-law Segeste, who objects to his daughter Tusnelda’s marriage, and to his son Sigismondo’s relationship with Arminio’s sister Ramise.  I’m sure that’s all perfectly clear. In any case Handel’s, and Cencic’s, main concerns are with the intra-familial problems which ensue from the capture of Arminio by the Romans.  In the final Act, the set turns into a macabre chamber, with human heads on poles (recalling Heart of Darkness) and a guillotine at the side, which does not end the opera unused.

Greek conductor George Petrou has become a familiar and popular member of the Handel opera musicscape in Europe, and with his historically informed orchestra Armonia Aterna, did not disappoint. Their enthusiastic yet disciplined playing provided a positive support for the singers and the action generally. One should mention a very fine oboe obbligato in “Quella fiamma, che ‘l petto m’accende”, and the horns in “Mira il Ciel” which produced some wayward notes at first, then improved out of sight.

Cencic, one of the great countertenors of our time, took the eponymous role, displaying his usual glowing tone, sung full out with effortless coloratura.  Highlights were “Sì, cadrò, ma sorgerà” with a cadenza to shake the chandeliers, a slow, elegiac “Vado a morir” rendered with perfect control and feeling, and the heroic bravura “Fatto scorta al sentier della Gloria”, with another ringing cadenza, punctuated by his letting off a pistol at the end.  Tusnelda was sung by American soprano Lauren Snouffer, replacing last year’s excellent Layla Claire with a differently excellent approach, evident from the first line of the recitative which opens the drama.  Displaying rich strong and attractive tone with sparkling high notes, “E vil segno d’un debole amore” was touchingly sung with shafts of brilliance and a well-sustained cadenza.  The heroic aria, “Va, combatti ancor da forte” also featured a stunning high-note cadenza, and her acting convincingly ran the gamut from anxious to sad to determined.  Her two duets with Arminio, the first and last items in the libretto, were both gorgeous and affecting, with their voices at equal strength, well suited and well blended.

This year’s Ramise was a little disappointing after Ruxandra Donose’s entertaining turn last year;  Italian mezzo Gaia Petrone was not such an elegant, amusing and convincing drunk, and her voice sounded somewhat remote and covered in her first aria, but seemed much clearer in her third, “Voglio seguir lo sposo”.  Her duet with Tusnelda was also fine.

Three other singers carried over their roles from last year, the strong resonant bass Pavel Kudinov brought off the nasty brutality of Segeste, baroque tenor du jour Juan Sancho was a pleasing Varo with fine bronze bell high notes, and young British countertenor Owen Willets as Tullio displayed his warm, rounded voice, carrying power and good fluent coloratura.

The real surprise was the newcomer, Polish mezzo Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk, jumping in at short notice for an indisposed Nicolas Ziélinski as Sigismondo.  As with last year’s version (sung then by Vince Yi), the character is given a very girly, campy portrayal, (rather a pre-Cherubino figure), another reason for his father’s fury, manifested in the latter administering a violent beating and threatened castration to his son.  Kubas-Kruk, who apparently only sighted the score a week ago, turned in an amazing performance.  In Sigismondo’s first aria (“Non sono sempre vane larve”), her voice was a little uncertain at first, but produced a nice sustained, long-lined flow of sound (while coping with a huge coughing bout from a member of the audience).  In one of the perhaps better known arias from this opera, “Quella fiamma, che ‘l petto m’accende”, Kubas-Kruk displayed a full range of a richly coloured voice with good bright high notes, great flexibility, and intricate vocal fireworks;  it was very well received, as indeed was the whole event. 

This production, along with that of Semele, places the Karlsruhe Handel Festival firmly on the list of essential events for the Handel aficionado.