Olivier Award winner, Peter Whelan, is known as one of the most dynamic and versatile exponents of historical performance of his generation. He is currently the Artistic Director of Irish Baroque Orchestra and Curator for Early Music of Norwegian Wind Ensemble. In addition to taking up the role of Artistic Partner with National Symphony Orchestra Ireland in January 2026 and {…}
(Photo: Frances Marshall) As well as its headline opera that takes place in the grounds of Lismore Castle, the Blackwater Valley Opera Festival offers a range of other events that take place at venues around the area. This year’s program included a production of Händel’s one-act masque, “Acis and Galatea” (HWV 49), from 1718, in its 1732 adaptation, in which {…}
(Photo: Nancy Jesse) Few works have suffered more persistently from the legacy of Orientalist fantasy than Handel’s “Giulio Cesare in Egitto.” Ever since Columbia University academic Edward Said published “Orientalism” in 1978, the intellectual foundations underpinning Europe’s imaginative construction of “the East” have been subjected to relentless and often persuasive scrutiny. Said demonstrated that Orientalism was never merely an artistic {…}
(Credit: Anna Kolata) When Händel laid aside the nascent blueprint of “Messiah” in the freezing winter of 1740, he was chasing, as Charles Jennens noted, “something of a gayer turn.” That pivotal decision birthed “L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato,” a narrative-free oratorio that treats music like a painter’s canvas. Performing in the austere yet acoustically challenging space of the {…}
(Photo: Anna Kolata) The 2026 Händel-Festspiele presented a unique double-feature of Handel’s breakout 1711 masterpiece, “Rinaldo.” By showcasing two radically different formats—traditional Italian puppetry and a metatheatrical re-contextualization at Oper Halle—the festival offered audiences a rare opportunity to compare two staged productions. While one production embraced the “primitive” theatrical tools of the past to unlock the opera’s raw, historical energy, {…}
Following a very disappointing production of Mozart’s “Die Entführung aus dem Serail” the day before, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées presented a one-night-only concert version of Handel’s “Ariodante” on June 7, conducted by Andrea Marcon. To begin with, it must be acknowledged that the La Cetra Barockorchester Basel performed Handel’s highly melodious, harmonious, and expressive score very well. A sense {…}
(Photo: Toni Suter) Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” written in the first century A.D., profoundly influenced Baroque art in all its forms: literature, the visual arts, and music. It is an epic-style compilation of over 250 Greek and Roman myths centered on transformation, spanning from the creation of the world to the deification of Julius Caesar, all linked by the overarching theme of {…}
(Photo: Bart Grietens) The production of “The Opera Circus” vividly revives the historical tradition of the Pasticcio, a staple of 18th-century operatic life. By weaving together a curated selection from Handel’s vast sprawling catalog—ranging from the iconic “Alcina” to the lesser-known gems of “Teseo”—the production team mirrors the composer’s own creativity brilliance. This format provides a flexible, 90-minute skeletal framework {…}
Josh Groban sang an arrangement of Händel’s “Zadok the Priest” at the Oscars. The singer performed the work in a parody sketch with the Los Angeles Master Chorale as Conan O’Brien was being coronated the king for Best Achievement in his opening monologue. “Zadok the Priest” is a British anthem that was composed by Händel for the coronation of George {…}
The Bach Society of Saint Louis will present Parts II and III of Händel’s “Messiah” on March 15, 2026. Music Director and Conductor A. Dennis Sparger leads the Bach Society Chorus and Orchestra alongside guest soloists soprano Hannah De Priest, countertenor Jay Carter, tenor Dann Coakwell, and bass Elijah Blaisdell. The performance kicks off at 3 p.m. local time. Next {…}
(Photo: Felix Grünschloß) This year, Karlsruhe curated a true weekend feast for Baroque enthusiasts: staging two Handel operas in a single day! The organizers even meticulously accounted for the expected performance durations of “Tamerlano” by pushing back the evening performance of “Atalanta.” It was not merely a schedule; it was a curated emotional arc that tested the endurance of the {…}