Handel: Ariodante
This recording is an excellent place to start in acquiring an appreciation of Handel's operas, with  the outstanding mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt in the title role and leading a fine cast that includes soprano  Juliana Gondek, mezzo Jennifer Lane, and bass Nicolas Cavallier. The plot--an only slightly convoluted  tale of true love put to the test by scheming villainy--stands up better than many stories set by the likes of  Verdi and Bellini, and Handel had longer than usual to write the music, a fact which shows in the opera's  low clunker-to-gold ratio. There is not a weak voice in the cast, and McGegan leads the singers and the  Freiburger Barockorchester with idiomatic flair; alternative scenes are provided for those who just can't get  enough.--Sarah Bryan Miller