Bayreuth Baroque presents dark production of Handel’s Floridante

The Bayreuth Baroque festival has presented a dark interpretation of George Frideric Handel’s opera ‘Floridante’ at the Markgräfliches Opernhaus. Festival director, director, and countertenor Max Emanuel Cenčić leads the production, portraying the story as a regime of terror driven by a violent protagonist.

Set in Persia, the production focuses on the character Oronte, a commander whose actions are interpreted through a lens of sexual aggression and power. The staging explores themes of pursuit and domestic tension, moving away from traditional interpretations to highlight the darker elements of Handel’s 1721 work.