San Francisco Opera: Orlando Furioso (1990) Rating: Starring: Marilyn Horne, Susan Patterson, Kathleen Kuhlmann, Sandra Walker, Jeffrey Gall Director: Brian Large Category: Music, Special Interest Studio: Image Ent. Subtitles: English Length: 146 mins     "Ariosto's Orlando Furioso is one of the all-time masterpieces of Italian literature.Pier Luigi Pizzi's production of Vivaldi's Orlando Furioso has brought us an operatic experience of major importance." The Times Antonio Vivaldi's opera takes place on the enchanted island of the sorceress Alcina.Although old and ugly, Alcina has the magical power to make herself appear beautiful and to bewitch courtiers who set foot in her realm.She has tried to make her power eternal by gaining possession of the invincible guard Arontes under the statue of the wizard in the Temple of Infernal Hecate. Brought to the island by fate, the other main characters of the opera, namely the beautiful Angelica, her young Saracen lover, Medoro, and the jealous Orlando - a Christian knight and Charlemagne's nephew, who is in love with Angelica - are entwined in an intriguing love story of furious passion and despair. This San Francisco Opera production of Orlando Furioso boasts a stellar cast, headed by the American mezzo-soprano, Marilyn Horne, whose undisputed mastery of the bel canto school of singing makes her one of today's finest performers.