Armida A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

This is not the first time that students of the Liszt Academy’s opera department under the direction of András Almási-Tóth have performed productions compiled from multiple works. This time, the story of Armida, the Saracen sorceress, is being staged, naturally in an unconventional and totally unique way: parts from no fewer than six operas – works by Lully, Händel, Gluck, Haydn, Rossini and Dvořák spanning more than 200 years – are cut and pasted alongside each other. Torquato Tasso’s Baroque epic poem Jerusalem Delivered features several episodes of love, the most famous being the story of Armida and Christian knight Rinaldo. Armida comes to kill the Crusader but instead falls in love with him and spirits him away to her magic garden. Finally, two companions rescue Rinaldo from the clutches of the Muslim witch. The story enjoyed huge popularity and over four centuries more than 15 opera productions were created out of the love between Armida and Rinaldo. Stage scenery for this production was designed by students of Budapest Metropolitan University, while orchestral accompaniment (in line with tradition) is the fruit of young composers of the Liszt Academy.