DEIDAMIA
Opera by G.F. Handel, premiered at Lincoln’s Inn Fields Theatre on January 10, 1741
Performances sung in Italian with projected English supertitles
Direction and Production by R.B. Schlather
With early music band Ruckus
A hero in hiding. A lover left behind. A destiny that cannot be escaped.
Handel’s rarely performed final opera arrives at Hudson Hall in a bold new production from R.B. Schlather and the acclaimed early music ensemble Ruckus.
Disguised as a girl on the island of Skyros, Achilles believes he can outrun fate. But Deidamia, who loves him, discovers what prophecy already knows: some destinies demand everything. Featuring hidden identities, impossible desire, comic disguises, and devastating heartbreak, Handel’s dazzling blend of comedy and tragedy is brought to life with period instruments, a cast of emerging and established stars, and Schlather’s contemporary theatrical sensibility.
A rare chance to experience an overlooked gem in the intimate setting of New York State’s oldest surviving theater.
Performance Dates:
OPENING NIGHT: Saturday, April 17, 2027 at 4pm
Tuesday, April 20 at 6pm
Friday, April 23 at 6pm
Sunday, April 25 at 3pm
Saturday, May 1 at 6pm
Sunday, May 2 at 3pm
Tickets:
On sale to members Fall 2026. On sale to the public January 2027.
Open Rehearsals:
April 3 & 10, 2027
Cast:
Emily Richter, Deidamia
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Ulisse
Sophia Hunt, Achille
Meredith Wohlgemuth, Nerea
William Socolof, Fenice
David Pittsinger, Lycomedes
Ruckus:
Douglas Balliett, bass
Elliot Figg, harpsichord
Coleman Itzkoff, cello
Caitlyn Koester, harpsichord
Ravenna Lipchik, violin
Joseph Monticello, flute
Manami Mizumoto, violin
Paul Holmes Morton, guitar/theorbo
Rebecca Nelson, violin
Rafa Prendergast, violin
Clay Zeller-Townson, bassoon
Creative Team:
Associate Producer: Daniel Stermer
Scenic Associate: Erica Zhang
Costume Design: Terese Wadden
Lighting Design: Zack Lobel
Dramaturg: Joseph Cermatori
Hair & Makeup: Matia Emsellem
Supertitles: Steven Jude Tietjen
Movement, Fight, Intimacy: Skye Bronfenbrenner