Georg Friedrich Händel—a German composer, writing Italian operas for English audiences. How did that come about, and how did it work?
In this class we will study the development of Handel’s operatic style. We’ll begin with his first opera, written at age nineteen for the Hamburg Gänsemarkt theater, cover his formative sojourn in Italy, and his first decade in London. We’ll examine scenes from seven operas, looking at how Handel draws characters, how his use of the orchestra evolved, what influences informed his unique approach to opera, and much more! This lecture/demonstration is open to all, registration opens Monday, December 7.