I attended their first visit two years ago for Giulio Cesare, which I was surprised to find became one of the highlights of an already bright opera season.

This year, Harry Bicket returns with Christophe Dumaux in the title role and a cast that is otherwise largely new to me. While the tour will stop in larger markets such as Berkeley and New York City, I’ll be catching up with them back in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska.

The previous visit was a delight, not least for the chance to hear Christophe Dumaux live, though the real discovery for me was the outstanding mezzo Beth Taylor. This time, I’m especially looking forward to hearing the “new to me” members of the cast, including Joélle Harvey, who will sing Lisaura. The clip offers a sample of Harvey in Handel’s world: not Alessandro, but a useful glimpse of what she will be bringing.