Georg Friedrich Händel

Ottone HWV 15

Handel completed the composition of his opera Ottone in August 1722, but the premiere did not take place until January 1723 at the Haymarket Theater in London: The composer waited so long for the arrival of the famous soprano Francesca Cuzzoni, whom he had intended for the role of Teofane. However, Ottone was very successful from the outset, not only because of the high-caliber cast, but also because of the formal and musical design of the opera, which saw numerous revivals until 1733.
Stylistically, Ottone is entirely indebted to the Neapolitan operatic tradition with emotionally charged arias as the main vehicles of expression, while the plot is spun out in the secco recitatives. The dramatic action is interpreted and intensified through the choice of arias and keys. The piano reduction is based on the Hallische Händel-Ausgabe (BA 4077), which offers the complete critical musical text of the opera for the first time.