Furioso, 11 October 2026, Hunter Lounge – Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington

A cycle of three ‘mini-operas’ by The Queen‘s Closet, based on Ludovico Ariosto’s 16th-century epic, Orlando Furioso

Photos courtesy of Andy Best

Part I:

Act musick – Ballo, from Il palazzo incantato, overo la guerriera amante – LUIGI ROSSI (1642)

Adaptation of La liberazione di Ruggiero dall’isola d’Alcina – FRANCESCA CACCINI (1625)

  • Alcina (a notorious enchantress) – Anna Sandström
  • Ruggiero (a knight enslaved by Alcina) – John Beaglehole
  • Melissa (Alcina’s nemesis) – Andrea Cochrane
  • Chorus (damsels, sirens, minor gods, etc.) – Anna Sedcole, Rebecca Stanton, Herbert Zielinski, Joshua Jamieson
  • Violins – Gordon Lehany, Henry Nicholson
  • Cornetti – Matthew Manchester, Gordon Lehany
  • Shawm – Sharon Lehany
  • Pommers – Sharon Lehany, Luka Reardon
  • Recorder – Luka Reardon
  • Sackbut – Amy Laithwaite
  • Bassoon – Craig Bradfield
  • Cellos – Jane Young, Oliver Wilkinson
  • Theorbo – George Wills
  • Narrator – Adam Nielson
  • Musical & Artistic director – Gordon Lehany
  • Stage director and Sound effects – Jacqueline Coats

Part II:

Act musick – Dances from Orlando generoso – AGOSTINO STEFFANI (1691), March from Thesée – JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY (1675)

Adaptation of Roland – JEAN-BAPTISTE LULLY (1685)

  • Angelique (a lovely princess) – Anna Sedcole
  • Medor (the object of Angelique’s affections) – Herbert Zielinski
  • Roland (Orlando) (a knight in love with Angelique) – Joshua Jamieson
  • Chorus (fairies, etc.) – Anna Sandström, Rebecca Stanton, Andrea Cochrane, John Beaglehole, William McElwee
  • Violins – Gordon Lehany, Henry Nicholson
  • Violas – Sára Kadas, David Pucher
  • Cellos – Jane Young, Oliver Wilkinson
  • Hoboys – Sharon Lehany, Luka Reardon
  • Bassoon – Craig Bradfield
  • Theorbo & Guitar – George Wills
  • Trumpets – Gordon Lehany, Matthew Manchester, Chris Woolley, Amy Laithwaite
  • Timpani – Yoshi Tsuruta
  • Narrator – Adam Nielson
  • Musical & Artistic Director – Gordon Lehany
  • Stage director & Sound effects – Jacqueline Coats

Part III:

Act musick – Battaglia from Rinaldo – GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1711)

Adaptation of Orlando furioso – ANTONIO VIVALDI (1714 and 1728) – including the Sinfonia from L’Angelica – NICOLA PORPORA (1720)

  • Orlando (Roland) (a famous knight driven mad with love) – Joshua Jamieson
  • Astolfo (another knight, and Orlando’s best friend) – William McElwee
  • Alcina (a notorious enchantress) – Anna Sandström
  • Angelica (the unrequited object of Orlando’s affections) – Anna Sedcole
  • Medoro (the love of Angelica’s life, and rival to Orlando) – Herbert Zielinski
  • Chorus – Rebecca Stanton, Andrea Cochrane, John Beaglehole
  • Horns – Matthew Manchester, Chris Woolley
  • Trumpets – Gordon Lehany, Matthew Manchester, Chris Woolley, Amy Laithwaite
  • Hoboys – Sharon Lehany, Luka Reardon
  • Bassoon – Craig Bradfield
  • Violins – Gordon Lehany, Henry Nicholson, Sára Kadas
  • Viola – David Pucher
  • Cellos – Jane Young, Oliver Wilkinson
  • Theorbo & Guitar – George Wills
  • Narrator – Adam Nielson
  • Musical & Artistic director – Gordon Lehany
  • Stage director & Sound effects – Jacqueline Coats

With special thanks to: