Munich Opera Festival premieres Handel’s ‘Alcina’ at Prinzregententheater

The Bavarian State Opera opened the 2026 Munich Opera Festival with a new production of Handel’s baroque opera Alcina on 13 July at the Prinzregententheater. Directed by Johanna Wehner and Benjamin Schönecker, the staging blends period music with a contemporary visual design that transforms the island setting into a museum‑like space after the intermission. The cast includes Jeanine De Bique as the sorceress Alcina and John Holiday as her lover Ruggiero, supported by Julian Prégardien, Elsa Benoit and others.

Critics noted the ambitious costumes and set changes but were divided over the vocal execution, with some describing De Bique’s soprano as losing brilliance in the upper register. The production’s length runs about three hours and forty minutes, offering a modern interpretation of the classic tale of love, jealousy and magic.