On 25 May 1715 Handel’s fifth  London  opera received its triumphant  premiere. The success  of what was Handel’s third opera about magic was based not only on the splendid  new sets and  costumes but also on the extraordinary richness of beautiful music which  accompanied the  dramatic experiences of the lovers  Amadigi  and  Oriana  in battle with the sorceress Melissa.<br>
“ Amadigi ” was probably  written with the famous castrato  Nicolini  in mind,  who sang the title role  in the premiere. The opera remained regularly in the repertoire until 1717 with  small changes  caused by illness or a change of singers. “ Amadigi ”  was also performed several times in German  in  Hamburg  between 1717 and 1720.<br>
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The new vocal score is based on volume II/8 of the  “Halle Handel” Edition; the appendix contains  all surviving variants from the original performances during Handel’s lifetime.<br>