Programme Highlights
G. F. Handel
Overture to Solomon, HWV 67
‘Lascia ch’io pianga’ from Rinaldo, HWV 7
‘Sibillar gli angui d’Aletto’ from Rinaldo, HWV 7
‘Augelletti, che cantate’ from Rinaldo, HWV 7
‘Cara sposa’ from Rinaldo, HWV 7
Celebrate the splendour of Baroque stage music with The English Concert as they present George Frideric Handel’s overture to Solomon and excerpts from Rinaldo. This rare pairing of Handel’s sacred and secular genius will showcase not only the composer’s expressive range but also the interpretive brilliance of one of the world’s finest period ensembles.
Under the baton of renowned Baroque specialist Harry Bicket, The English Concert has earned a reputation for combining urgency, passion and fire with precision, delicacy and beauty. With more than 70 albums, they have won many top recording awards such as the Grand Prix du Disque, BBC Music Magazine Award and Gramophone Awards.
Solomon, composed in 1748, is a grand oratorio that celebrates the wisdom, prosperity and piety of the biblical King. Following its overture will be Rinaldo, Handel’s first masterpiece for the London stage, a true gem of the operatic repertoire, with its breathtaking arias, heroic drama, and spellbinding orchestration. Without the distractions of elaborate staging, the concert version of the essential excerpts from the opera offers a unique opportunity to focus on the dramatic and expressive power of the music itself.
Conductor: Harry Bicket
Mary Bevan, Soprano
Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, Countertenor
Rachael Wilson and Paula Murrihy, Mezzo-sopranos
Ashley Riches, Bass
The English Concert
Approximately 2 hours, including one interval
The English Concert