This weekend’s three MassOpera performances of Handel’s 1735 opera Alcina will have seduced ear and eye with its large cast of excellent young soloists and chorus, in partnership with the able Horizon Ensemble Orchestra, together with absorbing staging and effective sets. Beyond that, the venue proved pleasant—the Lowe auditorium of the modern and capacious Arlington High School.

The work unfolds the convoluted story of Alcina, an evil yet sensitive character whose story entranced Georg Frideric Handel. He and his librettist adapted their libretto from Riccardo Broschi’s L’isola di Alcina (1728), which, in turn, was derived from Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, which inspired this and two more of Handel’s operas. Alcina encompasses the popular elements of Opera Seria, including confused relationships, disguises and magic spells. As the beautiful but vengefully bewitching sorceress, Alcina, soprano Kayla Kovacs, enhanced the role with her clear and nimble voice and acting. The enchanted island on which Alcina lured lovers and, when tired of them, turned them into beasts, stones and other quixotic choices, also bewitched the audience.

After a foreshadowing prelude with the set in silhouette, Melisso (bass-baritone, Nathan Halbur) arrives at the island with Bradamante (mezzo-soprano, Becca Allen), who is disguised as her own brother, Ricciardo, to investigate what has happened to Ruggiero (mezzo-soprano, Chihiro Asano), her betrothed (he has been seduced by Alcina). But before they get anywhere, Morgana, Alcina’s conniving sister (soprano, Naré Kim), becomes instantaneously infatuated with Bradamante, thinking she is a young man. Given the milieu of the island (and perhaps a family proclivity), Morgana immediately abandons her lover, Oronte (tenor, David Rivera Bozón). Eventually, Alcina’s nasty habit of morphing people into beasts surfaces, with an impassioned aria by Oberto (Cailin Smith), a young boy seeking his father and realizing that Dad has been transformed into a tiger. The plot continues in this vein until the end, so, nevermind… . The music compels and enchants. In the end, goodness triumphs, and all are happy, all except the evil sorceress sisters, Morgana and Alcina—but you have to be there to appreciate the magic here—not the machinations but the production itself.

The soloists embodied their characters to a person, vocally and theatrically. In addition to Alcina, particular huzzahs should go to Asano for a portrayal of Ruggiero which spanned a gamut of emotions, as well as for Kim’s Morgana.

Of Handel’s 45 operas, Alcina, considered one of, if not the best includes some 35 arias, many memorable, starting with Morgana’s infatuated O s’apre al riso (O, laughter opens), sung to the disguised Bradamante; Alcina’s initial aria, Di, cor mio I (Tell, dear heart) , in which she provides a false infomercial concerning her toxic paradise; and many others, including Tornami a vagheggiar (Turn me to fond desire) (Morgana) and Verdi prati (Verdant fields)(Ruggiero). Everyne impressed and moved us on opening night. Alcina convincingly performed last two arias, Ombre pallide (pale men) and Ma quando tornerai (but when will you return; these depict the loss of her powers. Dances towards the end, originally added for the great French ballerina, Marie Sallé, were omitted from this show, but were greeted with hissing and scandal in the day.

Despite scandal, Alcina evoked great enthusiasm when it opened at Covent Garden the year it was written and during its 18-performance run. It then languished, unperformed in full, until the 20^th century. Since then, many have had the pleasure of hearing and seeing it.

In the opening performance, Horizon Ensemble, conducted by Julian Gau, provided nuanced elucidation of Handel’s intent in its rendition of the enchanting score. Despite comprising only two oboes, harpsichord, guitar, one first and one second violin, a viola, a cello and a bass, the eager ensemble produced robust, tuneful and appropriately bewitching tones. Stage director Hannah Shanefield, also a stage producer and soprano, imparted first-hand incitement and creativity to this staging. Many others on the production team contributed to this excellent, compelling production.

Founded in 2007 by Dana Lynne Varga,  Artistic Director for 17 years and now Artistic Advisor, MassOpera, originally called MetroWest Opera, clearly fulfills its mission of providing young classical singers opportunities in the Boston area, providing a needed transition between conservatory and expanding careers. The worthwhile run continues at the Lowe Auditorium at AHS tonight and tomorrow afternoon.

Julie Ingelfinger a classically-trained pianist who studied at the Hartt School of Music, Aspen Music Festival and School and at Harvard, enjoys her day jobs as professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, pediatric nephrologist at Mass General Hospital for Children and deputy editor at the New England Journal of Medicine.