Partenope

Published Monday 13 October 2008 at 12:00 by George Hall

Over the course of the Handel revival, Partenope (1730) has been largely overlooked, and this is ENO’s first staging of the piece. It’s sung in Amanda Holden’s clear new translation, but Christopher Alden’s staging is less easy to follow.

A popular subject in its time, the original libretto tells of the eponymous queen and founder of the ancient city of Naples, and her several admirers, whose rivalry motivates the main plot. But it’s complicated by Rosmira, Arsace’s former betrothed, who has followed him disguised as the soldier Eurimene. The tangled web of relationships is familiar from other Handel operas - what makes this one unusual is that the mode of the piece is largely comic.

That said, Alden’s decision to transfer the action to Paris in the twenties and turn one of Partenope’s suitors, Emilio, into the photographer Man Ray, and the other characters into his chic friends as portrayed in his photographs, merely swaps one arcane set-up for another. However stylish Andrew Lieberman’s sets and Jon Morrell’s costumes are, the basic narrative is no clearer.

The score, however, contains many good things, including some fine ensembles and one or two sensationally beautiful arias. Rosemary Joshua shines as Partenope, even with a less than fluent top. John Mark Ainsley makes a strong impression as Emilio and Christine Rice is determined as Arsace. Best of all is the playing of ENO’s orchestra under the crisp baton of Christian Curnyn.