Spring at the London's Handel House Museum

Handel's singers come to the fore in the London Handel House Museum's spring season. The great tenor, John Beard, for whom Handel wrote the title roles in Samson and Jephtha, is the focus of a recital by tenor Guy Withers and harpsichordist Robert Court (15/1/2015). Whilst the diva Francesca Cuzzoni is focussed on by soprano Christina Raphaelle Haldane and harpsichordist Philippe Gionet (29/1/2015). Whilst Nick Harrison's dramatic adaptation of a Daniel Defoe short story, The Devil to Pay on Brook Street, imagines the diva Francesca Bordoni returned to London in 1759 to re-ignite her career with aid of the ailing Handel (performances during February).

Handel's long friendship with Telemann is the subject of recorder player Jill Kemp and harpsichordist Claire Williams' recital (8/1/2015), and the recital from Sara Minelli (flute), Gregor Riddell (cello) and Marco Vincenzi (harpsichord) (5/2/2015).

The Handel House Talent scheme provides a platform for young music professionals to explore the museum and its music. There are recitals from the current members of the scheme including harpsichordist Marie van Rhijn who celebrates Jacques Duphly's 300th anniversary (26/3), cellist George Ross who performs 18th century solo cello music (2/4), recorder player Caoimhe de Paor who explores two genres, the Stylus Phantasticus and the solo concerto (9/4), mezzo-soprano Cathy Bell performs Handel cantatas with harpsichordist Asako Ogawa (16/4), recorder player Elspeth Roberson performs a diverse 17th and 18th century programme using a wide range of instruments (23/4) and harpsichordist Katarzyna Kowalik takes us on a musical journey through Europe, Africa, the Americas and the Far east (30/4)

This year's Stanley Sadie Lecture is on 11 February 2015 and is being given by Dr David Hunter from the University of Texas and will be on the subject of The Lives of George Frideric Handel.

The exhibition is A Year in the Life of Handel: 1738 which focusses on this busy and challenging year in Handel's life; one in which he moved from Italian opera to English oratorio. A lecture recital by counter-tenor Randall Scotting focuses on the year 1738, and we will be treated to arias from Serse, Faramondo, Alessandro Severo and Saul.