The mad scene from Handel's 'Orlando': A new attempt at staging

There is an increasing interest in the operas of Georg Frideric Handel, both from a scholarly perspective, and that of the modern, professional opera company. Producers of Handelian opera have moved away from productions similar to those staged in Halle, Germany, in the 1920s, which featured vastly reduced recitative and stripped the da capo aria to a single statement of the 'A' section. Modern productions have restored Handel's musical text, and in addition have attempted to recreate the original dramatic conditions and ethos of the work. The problem faced by the Halle producers still exists, however. How does the modern producer satisfy the expectations of the modern audience, while remaining faithful to the intention of the composer and the original production.;This paper will investigate a possible approach to staging Handelian opera, with specific reference to the 'Mad Scene' from Handel's opera Orlando. Included in this examination will be a discussion of eighteenth-century British staging practices. These elements will be considered in the light of stage design and scenic practices of the period.