On 2 December, Antonio Cesti's most successful opera, L'Orontea, celebrated its premiere at the Chamber Opera – a social panorama in scenes that are sometimes serious, sometimes comical, reminiscent of the turbulent world of the Venetian carnival. As a composer of the generation after Monteverdi, Cesti combines his precise declamation with melodies of hitherto unheard sensuality. Behind all the romantic entanglements lies the philosophical question: should we follow the charms of love or cool reason in our lives?

Wolfgang Katschner with his lautten compagney BERLIN, which was recently awarded the OPUS KLASSIK prize, and director Tomo Sugao worked for the first time at the MusikTheater an der Wien in the Kammeroper. They question performance traditions and the boundaries between acting and singing. Tomo Sugao worked together for the first time at the MusikTheater an der Wien in the Kammeroper. They question performance traditions and the boundaries between acting and singing.

The audience applauded enthusiastically for the entire ensemble: Hilary Cronin (Orontea), Gabriel Díaz (Alidoro), Alexander Strömer (Gelone/Creonte), Stephen Chaundy (Aristea), Maria Ladurner (Silandra), Therese Troyer (Giacinta), Johannes Wieners (Corindo) and Manhan Qi (Tibrino).

L'Orontea will be performed at the Chamber Opera until 29 December.