The story of Semiramide unfolds in the ancient kingdom of Babylon, where the eponymous Queen reigns after the long-concealed murder of her husband, King Nino, a crime she committed with the ambitious Assur.

Seeking to secure the future of her rule, Semiramide resolves to marry the noble young general Arsace. A series of destructive revelations follows: Arsace is in fact her lost son, and he is bound by duty to avenge his father’s death. 

Join us for an evening of drama and passion expressed through the genius of Rossini's virtuosic music. This opera is the last he composed.

The Handel Opera Project  programs the operas of George Frideric Handel and his contemporaries, as well as other programs of common practice Western (“classical”) music. The Handel Opera Project is dedicated to performing the operas that are thoughtfully edited for better accessibility to bring these works to a wider audience in the Bay Area, integrating themes of global community across countries and centuries as represented by Handel’s approach to composition and representation.

Please consider supporting an arts organization that provides Berkeley audiences with high-quality operatic productions while allowing local musicians the opportunities to thrive and grow in live concert settings. Many who have performed with The Handel Opera Project have gone on to perform with highly-regarded professional opera companies, including the San Francisco Opera, West Edge Opera, and Ars Minerva. The Handel Opera Project is the only opera company not affiliated with a scholastic institution that provides integral career-starting opportunities for singers and instrumentalists at all levels of ability and artistic accomplishment.  This company provides up-and-coming performers the critical experience they need to excel in the music profession.

We appreciate your time and hope you will consider supporting our company, and in turn, the greater community of baroque interpreters and audiences in Berkeley.

The Handel Opera Project performs at the historic Maybeck church at 2619 Dwight Way in Berkeley, California.          

The Berkeley Daily Planet praised The Handel Opera Project's performance of Médée by writing that "the fire-breathing title role was splendidly sung by Eliza O’Malley... To her immense credit, Eliza O’Malley gave a very fine performance, both musically and dramatically, of this enormously difficult role. In the Berkeley cast, Ms. O’Malley was joined by a fine tenor, Brian Thorsett, who sang the role of Jason; soprano Sara Hagenbuch, who sang the role of Jason’s new fiancée, Dircé; baritone Martin Bell, who brought a calm strength to Créon, Dircé’s father and king of Corinth; and contralto Kathleen Moss, who was excellent as Néris, the worried confidante of Médée’s schemes for revenge. Stage director Kimberly James made good use of the limited space available to her..." 
 

The generosity of your donations enables us to produce our operas, oratorios, and concerts.