Il Sassone

Pocket-Sized Opera – long before recordings existed, opera lovers dreamed of it as a way to get through the off-season or bring a touch of delight to dreary winter evenings. As early as the 18th century, enterprising publishers were already producing opera arrangements for smaller ensembles. In this way, Alcina, Rodelinda, Orlando and the like could come to life in domestic performances – entirely without orchestra or vocal soloists.

With flute, violin, viola da gamba and theorbo, the four musicians of the ensemble False Consonance revive this tradition, weaving together some of the most beloved arias and instrumental pieces into a fictional, full-length “opera”: Il Sassone. Handel’s grand stage works thus become vivid on a smaller scale – with costumes and scenery supplied in an instant by the listener’s imagination. The PS.SPEICHER in Einbeck provides the perfect setting for this rare delight.