Franco Fagioli in Porpora’s briljante Polifemo

Porpora's answer to Handel

In 1733, the Neapolitan Nicola Porpora went to London, at the request of a number of opera-loving aristocrats, to compete with Handel's opera company. Italian opera was immensely popular in the English capital, and for the public – including us! – was that competition a blessing, because both composers were challenged to surpass themselves. Polifemo is the last of Porpora's London operas and tells the story of the Cyclops Polyphemus. Greek mythology provided perfect source material for librettists who did not want to be tied down to biblical or historical facts. In addition, there was a lot of room for magic and supernatural effects.

Fagioli and Cencic in the footsteps of Farinelli and Senesino

The London performances of Polifemo were a resounding success. The London Daily Post called it the biggest crowd pleaser of the season. Perhaps that was also due to the fact that Polifemo was the opera in which the famous castrato Farinelli made his London debut. Besides him, Senesino, that other superstar, was part of the cast. With countertenors Franco Fagioli and Max Emanuel Cencic we are also assured of vocal fireworks in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.