At Salzburg Festival, Cecilia Bartoli shines as Ariodante with her dazzling coloratura in a highly acclaimed new production by the German director Christoph Loy, who is known for his clever psychological stagings. Loy turns Handel's splendid baroque opera into an exciting and differentiated reflection on gender roles. A high-class ensemble, first and foremost a brilliant Cecilia Bartoli in the trouser role of the knight Ariodante who effortlessly switches between cheerful and lamenting virtuoso singing makes the production a true triumph. At her side perform audience favourite Rolando Villazón as Lurcano and young American soprano Kathryn Lewek, praised by critics as a „true discovery“ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung).

Giacomo Carissimi (1605.4.18～1674.1.12) Italian composer. From 1623 to 1625, he served as a chorus member of the Tivoli Church; from 1624 to 1627, he also served as an organist. In 1628, he was appointed the chief of the church of St. Apollin in Rome. From 1628 to 1629, he served as the chief of the church in Assisi. From 1629, he served as the music director of Apollinal Church until his death. It has made important contributions to the early development of oratorio and cantata, perfected cantata, formed a structure of tunes, and improved the status of cantata to replace pastoral. The scale of his oratorio is small, and the part where the story is narrated by solo recitals is very expressive, and the role of chorus has been strengthened.