Royal Opera's Ariodante is Handel as we've never heard him before

Now regarded as one of Handel’s greatest works, Ariodante has had a curious production history. After a short London run in 1735 it was consigned to the vaults for two centuries: Alexandra Coghlan argues in a programme note that it has now found its true audience, because it’s essentially a Romantic opera in Baroque disguise.

Its lurid plot tells of valiant Ariodante and virginal princess Ginevra, whose nuptials are poisoned by the lies of the jealous Polinesso. The plot’s characters traverse a landscape of murderous intrigue, suicide, and a duel to the death, after which, with the baddie despatched, we reach a conventionally happy ending. Here are all the ingredients of a satisfactory melodrama. So why should we care?

The Dutch director Jetske Mijnssen’s answer is that we should see