Semele at Dutch National Opera: myth, desire and fantasy

Elsa Benoit (Semele)

Semele at Dutch National Opera

By Mengguang Huang, 24 January 2026

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“this Semele succeeds because it keeps the drama firmly grounded in human emotion”

Reviewed at Dutch National Opera and Ballet, Amsterdam on 23 January 2026

Handel, Semele

Dutch National Opera

Emmanuelle Haïm, Conductor

Claus Guth, Director

Michael Levine, Set Designer

Gesine Völlm, Costume Designer

Michael Bauer, Lighting Designer

Le Concert d'Astrée

Chorus of Dutch National Opera

rocafilm, Video

Yvonne Gebauer, Dramaturgy

Christopher Warmuth, Dramaturgy

Nadezhda Karyazina, Ino

Elsa Benoit, Semele

David Portillo, Jupiter

Florian Boesch, Somnus, Cadmus

Jakub Józef Orliński, Athamas

Jasmin White, Juno

Jessica Niles, Iris

Edward Ananian-Cooper, Choirmaster / chorus director

Ramses Sigl, Choreography

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Mengguang Huang

Mengguang Huang is a Hamburg-based project manager in the construction industry. With a strong passion for classical music, he was introduced to the world of early music during his time in the UK, where he developed a particular fondness for renaissance and Baroque vocal music. Driven by his love for this genre, he now makes it a priority to attend major Baroque opera productions and concerts across Western Europe whenever possible, continuing to deepen his appreciation for this rich musical tradition.

Myth, desire and the dangerous allure of fantasy: Semele at Dutch National Opera