#Man Crush Monday: Ruggiero

[operaweekly]

“Sta nell’ircana pietrosa tana” from Händel’s Alcina, sung by Phillippe Jaroussky

Today’s #ManCrushMonday goes to Ruggiero! Originally written for an alto castrato, this role is usually cast as a trouser role for lyric mezzo-soprano. More recently, as shown in the attached video, countertenors are being considered for this role.

Ruggiero is betrothed to Bradamante, but has been lured to Alcina’s enchanted isle and fallen under her spell. Ruggiero spends a vast majority of the opera either angry, confused, sexually frustrated, or any combination of the three. At one point, Ruggiero even faces difficulty coming to terms with the fact that his fianceé has come to rescue him--as he believes it is another trick by the illusionist Alcina.

Ruggiero is surely a charmer. Händel wrote some of the most beautiful music in this opera just for Ruggiero. It is fitting, I suppose, for Ruggiero to be so endearing--to the point that Alcina’s love for him is what ultimately leads to her demise.

While the role requires substantial vocal agility, as represented in this aria, the role also features some of the most contrasting music in the opera that also requires a rich lyricism and substantial phrases.