Mr Handel’s Scholars – Cancelled, see main page
Erica Eloff – soprano
Caitlin Hulcup – mezzo-soprano
Alexander Sprague – tenor
Lisandro Abadie – bass-baritone
Laurence Cummings conductor
London Handel Orchestra
Handel was known to encourage young singers, many of whom became his star soloists and were known as ‘Mr Handel’s Scholars’. We continue his great tradition of nurturing young talent through our annual Handel Singing Competition, which is now in its 19th year. This concert is an opportunity to celebrate the success of the competition and to hear four past finalists who have gone on to major international careers. This year, in keeping with our ‘Handel and the Hanoverians’ theme, we have selected arias from three popular operas when Handel’s Royal Academy of Music, with George I as its patron, was at the height of its success in the 1720s (Giulio Cesare, Siroe and Rodelinda) alongside works taken from his lesser-known wedding anthems written for two of the royal children. A full list of items to be performed can be found below.
Pre-performance talk (free admission with concert ticket) 6.30 – 7.15pm: one of the world’s leading Handel scholars, Professor Donald Burrows will talk about the relationship between Handel and his Hanoverian patrons.
This concert will last around 2 hours, including a 20 minute interval.
Siroe HWV 24
Overture, Gelido, in ogni vena
Giulio Cesare HWV 17
Sveglatiavi nel core, Tu sei il cor, Se pieta
Organ concerto in F, op.4 no.4 HWV 292
Sono liete, fortunate HWV 194
Interval
Wedding Anthems HWV 262 & 263
Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine
Strength and honour are her clothing
Rodelinda HWV 19
Overture, Prigioniera ho l’alma, Dove sei?, Tra sospetti, Ritorna o Caro, Io t’abbraccio
Please note that programme items are subject to change