Juillliard Opera's fall production, at Juilliard School, is George Frideric Handel's "Ariodante" (1735), derived from Ludovico Ariosto's epic "Orlando Furioso." The fine singers demonstrated their versatility and virtuosity by excelling in both the showpieces, brimming with pyrotechnics, and the throbbing laments. Director Stephen Wadsworth and designers Derek McLane (sets), Ann Hould-Ward (costumes) and David Lander (lighting) updated the action to the present and set it in an upscale loft-cum-office, where the business at hand is not running a kingdom, but a company, but this hardly proved as intrusive as the havoc wrought on another 18th century work, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Don Giovanni," with concept by Christopher Alden, across Lincoln Center Plaza, for New York City Opera. In the pit for both works, and eliciting a stylish performance in each case, is Gary Thor Wedow. "Ariodante" opened on November 11 and is repeated on the 13th at 8 p.m. and 15th at 2 p.m.

In the opera, Prince Ariodante is betrothed to Princess Ginevra, daughter of the King of Scotland. Polinesso, Duke of Albany, rebuffed by Ginevra, seduces her friend Dalinda, who loves him blindly, into helping him frame the Princess by making it appear that she has welcomed him into her chamber at night. The King condemns Ginevra, Ariodante is thought to have committed suicide, and his brother, Lurcanio, kills Polinesso. Before the Duke dies, he confesses his deceit; Dalinda admits her wrongdoing as well; Ariodante and Ginevra are reunited; and happiness reigns.

Mezzo-soprano Cecelia Hall, as Ariodante-a role for which Tatiana Troyanos is well-remembered-and dusky-voiced soprano Tharanga Goonetilleke, from Sri Lanka, as Ginevra, impressed in both bravura arias-the former's "Con l'ali di costanza" and spectacular 11 o'clock number "Dopo notte" and the latter's "Volate, amori," all marked by copious cascades of coloratura-and their elegiac ones-Ariodante's "Scherza infida" and Ginevra's intense "Il mio crudel martoro" and "Da dubbia infausta forte ... Manca, oh Dei! la mia costanza"-and their voices blended well in the duets. Bass Shenyang, one of Juilliard's shining stars, as the King, jubilantly hailed Ginevra and Ariodante's betrothal in a fluently florid, trumpet accompanied "Voli colla sua tromba" and mourned the Prince in a moving "Invida sorte avara." Daughter and father made their sad peace in a heartrending "Io ti bacio, o mano augusta ... Al sen ti stringo e parto."

Haeran Hong brought a limpid, flexible soprano to music of Dalinda. Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo lent the role of the villain, Polinesso, the same spunk with which he imbued the title part in Lukas Foss' "Griffelkin," that of the young devil who can't seem to do evil, at Manhattan School of Music a couple of seasons ago, and especially shone in "Dover, giustizia, amor," his climactic solo. Nicholas Coppolo's tenor moved nimbly, but with some rough edges, through Lurcanio's arias. Javier Ernesto Bernardo completed the cast as the King's aide, Odoardo.

Wadsworth brought variety to the staging by having performers, at times, sing with their backs to the audience-which turns the idea of upstaging on its ear and which Beverly Sills regularly included in her dramatic arsenal-but they consistently projected well nonetheless. A long moment of tension, near the end, after Dalinda confessed, but before Ginevra forgave her, merits mention. Thom Delventhal choreographed the vivid fight, with knives and fists, between Lurcanio and Polinesso, which left the latter dead.

For remaining tickets, at $20, go to the box office at 155 West 65th Street or call CenterCharge at 212/721-6500. For further information, call 212/769-7406 or visit www.juilliard.edu.

Also on Juilliard Opera's agenda are a semi-staged, concert version of Aaron Copland's "The Tender Land," on January 30, 2010, at 8 p.m., and Conrad Susa's "Transformations," on February 15, 17 and 19 at 8 p.m., both of which are free, and the spring production, Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues des Carmélites" on April 21 and 23 at 8 p.m. and 25 at 2 p.m., with tickets priced at $20.