Afternoon on 3 - Handel: Berenice, Queen of Egypt

Handel Operas 2009 As part of BBC Radio 3's complete cycle of Handel's operas, Penny Gore presents a performance of Berenice, Queen of Egypt, with Rudolph Palmer conducting the Brewer Chamber Orchestra in a recording from 1994. The work plays revenge and conflict against love in a Roman-controlled Egypt, where Queen Berenice of Egypt is told by the senate in Rome to marry a young Roman, Alessandro, instead of her intended, the rival Egyptian Prince Demetrio. But he secretly prefers Berenice's sister Selene, and is plotting to desert the queen and use the marriage to seize the Egyptian throne, while the powerful backing of Rome threatens them all. Penny is joined by countertenor and conductor Jonathan Peter Kenny, who has good news for the future of Premier League football, and conductor Alan Curtis who is currently making a new recording of Berenice in Italy. Handel: Berenice, Queen of Egypt - opera in three acts Berenice ...... Julianne Baird (soprano) Alessandro ...... Andrea Matthews (soprano) Demetrio ...... Jennifer Lane (mezzo-soprano) Selene ...... D'Anna Fortunato (mezzo-soprano) Arsace, another Prince ...... Drew Minter (countertenor) Fabio, Roman ambassador ...... John McMaster (tenor) Aristobolo, chief minister ...... Jan Opalach (bass) Brewer Chamber Orchestra Rudolph Palmer (conductor).