Music
It is a work charged with jealousy and intrigue, with struggles and betrayal: Ariodante, Handelās first work for the then brand new Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. At that time, the composer was faced with fierce competition, was financially stricken and on the rocks. However, he plucked up his courage while taking the waters and wrote the opera, basing it on Ariostoās epic poem Orlando furioso. And he composed varied, colourful music, including the intimate aria āScherza infidaā, which is considered one of the special highlights of Handelās oeuvre to this day.
