On May 31st, Vespres d'Arnadí will present ourselves at the Andorran festival Clàssicand with a key title from Händel's production, Il trionfo del tempo e del disinganno. This staged production of the celebrated score will reunite us with three beloved friends: countertenor Xavier Sabata (Disinganno), tenor Juan Sancho (Tempo), and stage director Joan Anton Rechi. The cast is completed by soprano Katharina Ruckgaber (Bellezza) and mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston (Piacere).
Though technically an oratorio, at its premiere in 1707 young Handel already possessed the dramatic verve and the skill to convey emotions that would soon make him famous in the world of opera. At that time, he was in Italy immersing himself in the operatic tradition and honing his abilities to create irresistible melodies, such as the wonderful "Lascia la spina", which he had already used in Almira and would later recycle as "Lascia ch'io pianga" for Rinaldo.
In addition to its glorious music, Il trionfo offers us a philosophical reflection on deeply human themes and moral questions that continue to concern us today, such as the passage of time or the dilemma between surrendering to pleasure or embracing virtue. Therefore, we are faced with a work that remains fully relevant. Rechi will bring us even closer to it by situating the allegorical characters in the world of fashion, prompting us to think about the tyranny of appearance and the futility of today’s values.
