Oakland Opera reimagines Handel’s 'Alcina' as a modern influencer fantasy

Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance invites audiences to step into a world where magic is measured in likes, love is curated for the camera, and power lives in the algorithm. Oakland Opera will present a bold new adaptation of George Frideric Handel’s Alcina from Jan. 15–18, 2026, transforming the classic Baroque opera into a glittering contemporary influencer mansion.

Performed by Oakland Opera’s student artists, this reimagined production places Handel’s lush, emotionally rich score in a modern visual culture shaped by social media, image-making and digital performance. The result is a striking collision of 18th-century music and 21st-century aesthetics that explores timeless themes of illusion, control and desire through a distinctly modern lens.

In this adaptation, Alcina reigns not through sorcery alone, but through her mastery of perception. The production incorporates live image capture, immersive projection design and a fully re-envisioned script developed with the support of artificial intelligence, creating a dynamic stage environment that blurs the line between reality and performance.

“Our production of Alcina allows students to take artistic risks and develop vocally while grappling with issues that feel immediate and real to them,” said Director Drake Dantzler, professor of voice and coordinator of opera studies at OU. “ Social media performance, curated reality, and generative AI are important explorations for artists of the future. The production is a way of honoring Handel’s emotional world while preparing young artists to think critically, creatively, and responsibly about the realities of contemporary performance.”

While the visual world of Alcina has been radically updated, Handel’s music remains at the heart of the production. Known for its virtuosic arias and emotional depth, Alcina gives student performers the opportunity to showcase both technical skill and dramatic range, supported by innovative staging that amplifies the opera’s psychological intensity.

This production reflects Oakland Opera’s commitment to creative risk-taking and interdisciplinary collaboration, offering students hands-on experience with emerging technologies alongside classical performance traditions. It also invites audiences — whether longtime opera lovers or first-time attendees — to engage with a familiar story in an unexpected way.

Oakland Opera’s Alcina will be performed Jan. 15–18, 2026, in Varner Recital Hall on Oakland University’s campus. Tickets are available online at etix.com.

For more information about this and other upcoming performances, please visit www.oakland.edu/smtd/performances-and-events.