Friday 25 April 2014

Summer at the Handel House Museum

George I in his coronation robes
George I in his coronation robes
The Handel House Museum's summer season of events and concerts celebrates this year's 300th anniversary of the Hanoverian Succession, the coming to the English throne of the ruling dynasty from Hanover which had close links with composer George Frideric Handel. There is also and exhibition looking at the eventful life of the actress and singer Susannah Cibber.

Concerts include the chance to hear music by composers associated with the Kings of Hanover, not only Handel but Geminiani, Abel and JC Bach played by Duo Follia (Diana Moore and Yeo Yat-Soon) and their programme includes a harpsichord suite composed for Princess Louisa, daughter of George II (8 May). Handel's connections with the House of Hanover are examined further by the Burney Players (Ian Wilson, Tuomo Suni, Natasha Kraemer and Kasi Tomczak-Feltrin) (5 June). And the Denner Ensemble (Mark Baigent, Rebecca Prosser, Nathaniel Harrison and Karen Glen) is also exploring Handel's Royal connections with chamber music including keyboard music written for one of George II's daughters (12 June). Handel's links to the Earl of Burlington (one of Handel's patrons when he first came to London) are examined by Baroque Encounter (Glenn Kesby, Lauren Brant, David Beany and Claire Williams), with music from Teseo and Amadigi (both dedicated to Burlington), and from the Birthday Ode for Queen Anne. (26 June)


One of Handel's rivals in London was Bononcini, and you can hear his duets written for the Duchess of Marlborough performed by Randall Scotting, Rowan Pierce, George Ross and Aidan Phillips (19 June). Due Corde (Anne Marie Christensen and Amelie Addison) perform a sonatas by 18th century violinists who collaborated with Handel in London (7 August), whilst Arcata Baroque (Elin Harris, Carina Drury and Nathaniel Mander) perform Italian cantatas by Ariosti, Bononcini and Handel (14 August).

Susannah Cibber
Susannah Cibber
The exhibition She was despised: Handel and Susannah Cibber celebrates the tercentenary of the birth of Susannah Cibber, the actress and singer who fled to Dublin after a scandalous divorce trial and sang the alto solos in the premiere of Messiah in Dublin, going on to become David Garrick's leading lady. There is also a walking tour Susannah Cibber's London to visit some of the key sites associated with Susannah Cibber (17 August)

There is a chance to sing Handel's Zadok the Priest, one of the anthems Handel wrote for the coronation of George II (5 July). And on 31 July there is a concert which is the culmination of a four day Summer school for composers who are blind or partially sighted. In collaboration with the RNIB, the Handel House Composer in Residence works closely with the young composers to create new works in both baroque and modern idioms.

Further information from the Handel House Museum website.

Elsewhere on this blog:

2 comments:

  1. Hi Robert, we just wanted to let you know that it's actually the 300th anniversary of the Hanoverian Succession!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks. I should have picked that one up!

    ReplyDelete

Popular Posts this month