List of operas by George Frideric Handel

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George Frideric Handel's operas comprise 42 musical dramas that were written between 1705 and 1741 in various genres. Though his large scale English language works written for the theatre are technically oratorios and not operas, several of them, such as Semele (1744), have become an important part of the opera repertoire. Other English language oratorios which are sometimes fully staged as operas include Saul , Samson , Hercules , Belshazzar , Theodora and Jephtha .

Contents

Parnasso in festa , a festa teatrale composed by Handel to an Italian text and performed in London to celebrate the royal wedding of Anne, Princess Royal and Prince William of Orange in 1734, has many characteristics of an opera.

List of works

List of operas by George Frideric Handel. All are opera seria in three acts, unless otherwise stated.
HWV TitleLibrettoPremière datePremière place, theatreModern revivalNotes
1 Almira (Der in Krohnen erlangte Glücks-Wechsel, oder: Almira, Königin von Castilien) Hamburg, Oper am Gänsemarkt Some music lost; announced as a Singspiel but has no spoken dialogue
2 Nero (Die durch Blut und Mord erlangete Liebe)Hamburg, Oper am Gänsemarkt Music lost
3 Florindo (Der beglückte Florindo)Hamburg, Oper am Gänsemarkt Almost all of the music is lost
4 Daphne (Die verwandelte Daphne)Hamburg, Oper am Gänsemarkt A sequel to Florindo, intended to be performed on the day after it. Almost all of the music is lost
5 Rodrigo (Vincer se stesso è la maggior vittoria) Florence, Teatro di via del CocomeroSome music is lost
6 Agrippina Venice, Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo  
7a/b Rinaldo London, Queen's Theatre HWV 7b is the 1731 revision; the libretto of a revision of 1717 also exists
8a/b/cLondon, Queen's TheatreHWV 8c designates the version of May 1734 and its November revival. The prologue Terpsicore added to the November 1734 revival is 8b.
9 Teseo London, Queen's Theatre5 acts
10 Silla London, Queen's Theatre? (or Burlington House?) Much of the music was re-used in Amadigi
11 Amadigi di Gaula London, King's Theatre Various additions during the initial run and the revivals of 1716 and 1717
12a/b Radamisto London, King's TheatreLibrettos of the revised versions of December 1720 and 1728 exist
13 Muzio Scevola London, King's Theatreonly Act 3 is by Handel
14 Floridante London, King's TheatreRevised versions premiered in 1722, 1727 and 1733
15 Ottone London, King's TheatreRevised versions premiered in 1726 and 1733
16 Flavio London, King's TheatreThe libretto of the revised version of 1732 exists
17 Giulio Cesare London, King's Theatre 
18 Tamerlano London, King's Theatre 
19 Rodelinda London, King's Theatre 
20 Scipione London, King's Theatre 
21 Alessandro London, King's Theatre 
22 Admeto London, King's Theatre 
23 Riccardo Primo London, King's Theatre 
24 Siroe London, King's Theatre 
25 Tolomeo London, King's Theatre 
26 Lotario London, King's Theatre 
27 Partenope London, King's Theatre 
28 Poro London, King's Theatre 
29 Ezio London, King's Theatre 
30 Sosarme London, King's TheatreFirst draft, Fernando, Re Di Castiglia, revived in 2007 by Il Complesso Barocco
31 Orlando London, King's Theatre 
32 Arianna in Creta London, King's Theatre  
A 11 Oreste London, Covent Garden Theatre Pasticcio
33 Ariodante London, Covent Garden Theatre  
34 Alcina London, Covent Garden Theatre 
35 Atalanta London, Covent Garden Theatre 
36 Arminio London, Covent Garden Theatre 
37 Giustino London, Covent Garden Theatre 
38 Berenice London, Covent Garden Theatre  
39 Faramondo London, King's Theatre 
A 13 Alessandro Severo London, King's TheatrePasticcio
40 Serse London, King's TheatreAlso known as Xerxes
A 14 Giove in Argo London, King's TheatrePasticcio
41 Imeneo London, theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields  
42 Deidamia London, theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields  
49 Acis and Galatea Cannons, Little Stanmore Variously described as a serenata, a masque, a pastoral opera, a "little opera" (by the composer), an entertainment, and an oratorio

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Frideric Handel</span> German-British Baroque composer (1685–1759)

George FridericHandel was a German-British Baroque composer well known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concertos. Handel received his training in Halle and worked as a composer in Hamburg and Italy before settling in London in 1712, where he spent the bulk of his career and became a naturalised British subject in 1727. He was strongly influenced both by the middle-German polyphonic choral tradition and by composers of the Italian Baroque. In turn, Handel's music forms one of the peaks of the "high baroque" style, bringing Italian opera to its highest development, creating the genres of English oratorio and organ concerto, and introducing a new style into English church music. He is consistently recognized as one of the greatest composers of his age.

<i>Messiah</i> (Handel) 1741 sacred oratorio by Handel

Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. The text was compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742 and received its London premiere a year later. After an initially modest public reception, the oratorio gained in popularity, eventually becoming one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music.

<i>Rinaldo</i> (opera) 1711 opera by George Frideric Handel

Rinaldo is an opera by George Frideric Handel, composed in 1711, and was the first Italian language opera written specifically for the London stage. The libretto was prepared by Giacomo Rossi from a scenario provided by Aaron Hill, and the work was first performed at the Queen's Theatre in London's Haymarket on 24 February 1711. The story of love, war and redemption, set at the time of the First Crusade, is loosely based on Torquato Tasso's epic poem Gerusalemme liberata, and its staging involved many original and vivid effects. It was a great success with the public, despite negative reactions from literary critics hostile to the contemporary trend towards Italian entertainment in English theatres.

<i>Samson</i> (Handel) Oratorio by George Frideric Handel

Samson is a three-act oratorio by George Frideric Handel, considered to be one of his finest dramatic works. It is usually performed as an oratorio in concert form, but on occasions has also been staged as an opera. The well-known arias "Let the bright Seraphim", "Total eclipse" and "Let their celestial concerts" are often performed separately in concert.

<i>Agrippina</i> (opera) 1709 opera seria by G. F. Handel

Agrippina is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel with a libretto by Cardinal Vincenzo Grimani. Composed for the 1709–10 Venice Carnevale season, the opera tells the story of Agrippina, the mother of Nero, as she plots the downfall of the Roman Emperor Claudius and the installation of her son as emperor. Grimani's libretto, considered one of the best that Handel set, is an "anti-heroic satirical comedy", full of topical political allusions. Some analysts believe that it reflects Grimani's political and diplomatic rivalry with Pope Clement XI.

<i>Giustino</i> (Handel)

Giustino is an opera seria in three acts by George Frideric Handel. The opera was first given at the Covent Garden Theatre in London on 16 February 1737. The Italian-language libretto was adapted from Charles VI's court poet Pietro Pariati's libretto for Giustino (1711), after the much older original libretto of Nicolò Beregan (1682). The libretto had already been adapted by many composers including Vivaldi's Giustino of 1724 and Tomaso Albinoni's lost opera of 1711.

<i>Saul</i> (Handel) Oratorio by George Handel and Charles Jennens

Saul is a dramatic oratorio in three acts written by George Frideric Handel with a libretto by Charles Jennens. Taken from the First Book of Samuel, the story of Saul focuses on the first king of Israel's relationship with his eventual successor, David—one which turns from admiration to envy and hatred, ultimately leading to the downfall of the eponymous monarch. The work, which Handel composed in 1738, includes the famous "Dead March", a funeral anthem for Saul and his son Jonathan following their deaths in the Battle of Mount Gilboa at the hands of the Philistines, and some of the composer's most dramatic choral pieces. Saul premiered successfully at the King's Theatre in London on 16 January 1739, and was revived by Handel in subsequent seasons. Notable modern-day performances of Saul include that at Glyndebourne in 2015.

<i>Judas Maccabaeus</i> (Handel) Oratorio by George Frideric Handel

Judas Maccabaeus is an oratorio in three acts composed in 1746 by George Frideric Handel based on a libretto written by Thomas Morell. The oratorio was devised as a compliment to the victorious Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland upon his return from the Battle of Culloden. Other catalogues of Handel's music have referred to the work as HG xxii; and HHA 1/24.

<i>Esther</i> (Handel) Oratorio by George Frideric Händel

Esther is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. It is generally acknowledged to be the first English oratorio. Handel set a libretto after the Old Testament drama by Jean Racine. The work was originally composed in 1718, but was heavily revised into a full oratorio in 1732.

<i>Solomon</i> (Handel) Oratorio by George Frideric Handel

Solomon, HWV 67, is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. The anonymous libretto – currently thought to have been penned by the English Jewish poet/playwright Moses Mendes (d.1758) – is based on the biblical stories of the wise king Solomon from the First Book of Kings and the Second Book of Chronicles, with additional material from Antiquities of the Jews by ancient historian Flavius Josephus. The music was composed between 5 May and 13 June 1748, and the first performance took place on 17 March 1749, with Caterina Galli in the title role at the Covent Garden Theatre in London, where it had two further performances. Handel revived the work in 1759.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Christopher Smith</span> English composer (1712-1795)

John Christopher Smith was an English composer who, following in his father's footsteps, became George Frideric Handel's secretary and amanuensis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Connolly</span> English mezzo-soprano

Dame Sarah Patricia Connolly is an English mezzo-soprano. Although best known for her baroque and classical roles, Connolly has a wide-ranging repertoire which has included works by Wagner as well as various 20th-century composers. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours and a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Beard (tenor)</span> British opera singer

John Beard was an English tenor of the 18th century. He is best remembered for creating an extensive number of roles in the operas and oratorios of George Frideric Handel.

<i>Ero e Leandro</i>

Ero e Leandro, also known after its first line as Qual ti reveggio, oh Dio, is a 1707 Italian-language cantata by George Frideric Handel, composed during his stay in Rome to a libretto believed to be written by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni. It is a reworking of the Greek myth of Hero and Leander, with the soprano soloist taking the role of Hero. In it, Hero finds her love, Leander, drowned, tears out her hair, thus symbolically rejecting the beauty which had led to Leander's fascination with her, then drowns herself. It is composed for a soprano solo, and a small orchestra consisting of two oboes, and two string sections: a concertino of solo violin and violoncello, and a concerto grosso made up of two violins, a viola, and continuo. In Ero e Leandro, Recitatives alternate with arias, as was normal at the period for not only cantatas, but oratorios and operas as well; however, unusually, Ero e Leandro ends with a recitative, instead of an aria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organ concertos, Op. 4 (Handel)</span>

The Handel organ concertos, Op. 4, HWV 289–294, are six organ concertos for chamber organ and orchestra composed by George Frideric Handel in London between 1735 and 1736 and published in 1738 by the printing company of John Walsh. Written as interludes in performances of oratorios in Covent Garden, they were the first works of their kind for this combination of instruments and served as a model for later composers.

Structure of Handels <i>Messiah</i>

Messiah, the English-language oratorio composed by George Frideric Handel in 1741, is structured in three parts, listed here in tables for their musical setting and biblical sources.

<i>Parnasso in festa</i> 1734 opera by Handel

Parnasso in festa, per li sponsali di Teti e Peleo, by George Frideric Handel, is a festa teatrale, a form also called a "serenata", a type of Italian opera intended as entertainment to celebrate a festive royal or state occasion. The work was written to celebrate the marriage of Anne, Princess Royal and Prince William of Orange. Parnasso in festa had its first performance in London at the King's Theatre on 13 March 1734 and was repeated five times. The operatic entertainment, to an anonymous libretto, was such a success at its London premiere that although it was intended as a one-off production for a royal wedding, Parnasso in festa was revived by Handel in several subsequent seasons.

<i>Wedding anthem for Princess Anne</i>

The Wedding anthem for Princess Anne, HWV 262, This is the day which the Lord hath made, is an anthem for vocal soloists, chorus and orchestra by George Frideric Handel. It was written for the wedding of Anne, Princess Royal and Prince William of Orange and was first performed during their marriage at the French Chapel in St James's Palace, London, on 14 March 1734. The music is set to English texts chosen from the biblical books of Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiasticus.

<i>Der Messias</i>

Der Messias, K. 572, is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 1789 German-language version of Messiah, George Frideric Handel's 1741 oratorio. On the initiative of Gottfried van Swieten, Mozart adapted Handel's work for performances in Vienna.

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