Les Arts Florissants to perform Händel’s ‘Riccardo Primo’ at Teatro Real

The ensemble Les Arts Florissants will present a concert version of Georg Friedrich Händel’s opera ‘Riccardo Primo’ at the Teatro Real in Madrid on October 21. Directed by Paul Agnew, the production focuses on the historical figure of Richard the Lionheart.

Countertenor Hugh Cutting will perform the lead role, stepping in for Jakub Józef Orliński, who is unable to participate for personal reasons. The performance marks the opera’s premiere at the Teatro Real, bringing a score originally debuted in London in 1727 to the Madrid audience. The production features a cast including Mélissa Petit, Alex Rosen, Andreas Wolf, Juliette Mey, and Paul Figuier, with Les Arts Florissants handling both orchestral and choral components.