London - Event

Perhaps best known for Rule Britannia (from Alfred), Thomas Arne's 300th anniversary falls in March 2010. In celebration, Ian Page conducts Martin Duncan's production of Arne's Artaxerxes at the Royal Opera's Linbury Theatre Studio.

Premièred at Covent Garden in 1762, Artaxerxes fell from the repertoire long ago. But with the success of Handel's Xerxes (Serse) why shouldn't an opera about his son, Artaxerxes be equally successful? The Classical Opera Company takes up the challenge.

Artabanes (Andrew Staple) has murdered Xerxes, but blames his son Arbaces (Caitlin Hulcup). Prince Artaxerxes (Christopher Ainslie) helps Artabanes to escape, encouraged by both his sister Mandane (Elizabeth Watts) and his lover Semira (Rebecca Bottone). Typically Semira has another admirer, Rimenes (Steven Ebel), who helps Artabanes also to plot to kill Artaxerxes. Will our prince survive?