List of operas by Handel

The opera house in the Haymarket—first known as the Queen's Theatre and then later as the King's Theatre—where many of Handel's works were first performed. Illustration by William Capon.

George Frideric Handel's operas comprise 42 musical dramas that were written between 1705 and 1741 in various genres. He began composing operas in Germany and then for a brief time in Italy to modest success. It was not until he moved to England that he found great success in the genre. His first opera in England, Rinaldo (1711), was met with enthusiasm, and several more Italian operas soon followed. However, Handel's place as the central figure of opera in England during the eighteenth century was not solidified until, under the influence of Thomas Arne, he began composing large-scale works with English language texts. Though almost all his English language works are technically oratorios and not operas, several of them, such as Semele (1743), have become an important part of the opera repertoire. Handel's first opera (opera seria - serious Italian opera) was Almira (1705).

During the 36 years in which Italian opera was his principal concern, Handel adhered closely to the typical form of the era, determined by the precedence given to solo singing and to stage presentation in which set changes were made in front of the audience and the curtain not lowered until the work's conclusion. Recitatives preceded solo arias, usually in da capo form (though frequently with an abridged return to the chief section), dominate the operas, and scenes are normally devised to start with several characters on stage, each of whom sings an aria and then exits. The last scene typically concludes with a coro sung by the soloists; ensembles are otherwise atypical and mainly limited to scenes of communal celebration; only "Dall’orror" in Act 3 of Alcina (1735) reaches the depth of the choruses in the English choral works. Handel’s operas therefore seem to be highly similar to those of his contemporaries; what makes them unique is the brilliance of the music which skilfully conveys with instant fervor the emotional states of the characters within the context of the drama.

Overview

First edition of Handel's Giulio Cesare (1724)

Handel's earlier operas tended to be of a lighter nature, although there are intermittent moments, such as the prison scene from Almira (1705), which are highly dramatic. Handel's music for his first operas in England was often derived from musical ideas and idioms found in his cantatas and other works written during his time spent in Italy (1706–09). For example, the characteristic harmonic structure of Agrippina (1709) is obviously a retention of material from this Italian period. In general, the orchestrations of Handel's earlier operas tended to be richer and smoother than in his later works, utilizing additional instruments like bassoons to achieve different tone colours. The music for Rinaldo (1711) notably used four trumpets, an instrumental choice that Handel never repeated elsewhere.

Ludovico Ariosto (1474-1533) whose epic poem Orlando Furioso was the source for Handel's operas Orlando, Alcina, and Ariodante.

Beginning with Ottone (1722), Handel composed numerous operas for the Royal Academy of Music during the 1720s. With the exception of Flavio (1723), the operas from this period are more serious in tone and the musical expression is more astutely aligned to the opera's drama than in his earlier operas. Of particular importance from this period is Giulio Cesare (1724), which contains one of Handel's most expansive and emotively powerful scores. The sumptuous music and deft characterizations found in this work has made it one of the more frequently revived Handel operas during the 20th and 21st centuries. Also of note are Tamerlano (1724) and Rodelinda (1725) which have particularly striking leading tenor roles that Handel wrote specifically for Francesco Borosini. The later operas that Handel wrote for the Academy were not as successful as his earlier ones. The two major sopranos at the Academy, Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni, were intensely competitive, and Handel had to cater to them both equally in these latter Academy operas. With the exception of Admeto (1727), the attempt at balancing two leading soprano roles within an individual opera proved to hinder the work both musically and dramatically.

During the 1730s, Handel returned to writing operas of a comic and fantastic or heroic nature, largely because he no longer had to cater to the tastes of the Academy when choosing librettos. These works, such as Partenope (1730), Orlando (1733) and Alcina (1735), were influenced by the operas of Leonardo Vinci and Leonardo Leo and are written in a pre-classical manner. During this period, Handel began to more frequently utilize the scena in his works, and by the mid-1730s he was writing some of his most dramatically moving arias, such as the mad scene of Orlando and the end of Act 2 of Alcina. The size of the orchestras for these works was also larger, with Handel typically employing 12 violins, 8 violas, 6 cellos, 4 double basses, and two harpsichords in addition to four bassoons and a number of other wind instruments. In operas like Oreste (1734), Handel attempted to synthesize Italian opera with French opera in the sequences of dances and choruses, but made no further experimentation in this area outside of the operas of 1734 and 1735. Two of the operas from this period, Ariodante (1735) and Atalanta (1736), were a departure from the traditionally heroic librettos used by Handel, adopting a more realistic romantic intimacy.

By the late 1730s, Handel's attention was increasingly diverted away from composing operas and was much more focused on the English oratorio. A number of his operas from 1737 on lack the brilliance of his earlier works, most likely due to this shift in focus. Nevertheless, his operas Giustino (1737) and Serse (1738) contain some very fine music. Serse is also notable for successfully mixing comedy and poignant tragedy into a masterfully crafted plot, a development repeated less successfully in Imeneo (1740). Handel's last Italian opera, Deidamia, was produced in 1741 and was not received very well as England's taste for Italian opera had waned. Handel returned one more time to theatre music for the semi-opera Alceste in 1750.

List of works

The following is a complete list of Handel's operatic works. All are opera seria in three acts, unless otherwise stated.

HWV	Title	Libretto	Première date	Première place, theatre	Modern revival	Notes
1	Almira (Der in Krohnen erlangte Glücks-Wechsel, oder: Alimira, Königin von Castilien)	FeustkingFriedrich Christian Feustking, after Giulio Pancieri	1705-01-088 January 1705	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt	1994-06-054 June 1994, Handel Festival, Bad Lauchstädt	Some music lost; announced as a Singspiel but has no spoken dialogue
2	Nero (Die durch Blut und Mord erlangete Liebe)	FeustkingFriedrich Christian Feustking	1705-02-2525 February 1705	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt		Music lost
3	Florindo (Der beglückte Florindo)	HinschHinrich Hinsch	1708-01-01January 1708	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt		Almost all of the music is lost
4	Daphne (Die verwandelte Daphne)	HinschHinrich Hinsch	1708-01-02January 1708	Hamburg, Theater am Gänsemarkt		A sequel to Florindo, intended to be performed on the day after it. Almost all of the music is lost
5	Rodrigo (Vincer se stesso è la maggior vittoria)	SilvaniAfter Francesco Silvani's II duello d'Amore e di Vendetta Italian libretto	1707-11-00c, November 1707	Florence, Teatro di via del Cocomero	1984-00-001984, Innsbruck	Some music is lost
6	Agrippina	GrimaniVincenzo Grimani	1709-12-2626 December 1709, early 1710	Venice, Teatro San Giovanni Grisostomo	1943-00-001943, Halle
7a/b	Rinaldo	RossiGiacomo Rossi/Aaron Hill, after Tasso, La Gerusalemme liberata Italian libretto	1711-02-2424 February 1711	London, Queen's Theatre	1954-06-00June 1954, Handel Festival, Halle	HWV 7b is the 1731 revision; the libretto of a revision of 1717 also exists
8a/b/c	Pastor fidoIl pastor fido	RossiGiacomo Rossi, after Giovanni Battista Guarini 8b Italian libretto, 8c Italian libretto	1712-11-2222 November 1712	London, Queen's Theatre	1948-06-2020 June 1948, Handel Festival Göttingen (third, November 1734 version); 14 September 1971, Abingdon, (first, 1712 version)	HWV 8c designates the version of May 1734 and its November revival. The prologue Terpsicore added to the November 1734 revival is 8b.
9	Teseo	HaymNicola Francesco Haym, after Philippe Quinault's libretto for Thésée Italian libretto	1713-01-1010 January 1713	London, Queen's Theatre	1947-06-2929 June 1947, Handel Festival Göttingen	5 acts
10	Silla	RossiGiacomo Rossi, after Plutarch's Life of Sulla Italian libretto	1713-06-022 June 1713?	London, Queen's Theatre? (or Burlington House?)		Much of the music was re-used in Amadigi
11	Amadigi di Gaula	RossiHaymRossi or Haym (?), after Antoine Houdar de la Motte's Amadis de Grèce, 1699 Italian libretto	1715-05-2525 May 1715	London, King's Theatre	1929-00-00Osnabrück, 1929	Various additions during the initial run and the revivals of 1716 and 1717
12a/b	Radamisto	HaymHaym (?), after Domenico Lalli's L'amor tirannico, o Zenobia Italian libretto	1720-04-2727 April 1720	London, King’s Theatre	1927-06-2727 June 1927, Handel Festival Göttingen	Librettos of the revised versions of December 1720 and 1728 exist
13	Muzio Scevola	RolliPaolo Antonio Rolli, after a reworking of a Nicolò Minato libretto by Silvio Stampiglia Italian libretto	1721-04-1515 April 1721	London, King’s Theatre	1928-00-001928, Essen (Act 3 only)	only Act 3 is by Handel
14	Floridante	RolliRolli, after Francesco Silvani's La costanza in trionfo Italian libretto	1721-12-099 December 1721	London, King’s Theatre	1962-05-1010 May 1962, Unicorn Theatre, Abingdon	Revised versions premiered in 1722, 1727 and 1733
15	Ottone	HaymHaym, after Stefano Benedetto Pallavicino's libretto for Antonio Lotti's opera Teofane Italian libretto	1723-01-1212 January 1723	London, King’s Theatre	1921-07-055 July 1921, Handel Festival Göttingen	Revised versions premiered in 1726 and 1733
16	Flavio	HaymHaym, after M Noris's Il Flavio Cuniberto Italian libretto	1723-05-1414 May 1723	London, King’s Theatre	1967-07-022 July 1967, Handel Festival Göttingen	The libretto of the revised version of 1732 exists
17	Giulio Cesare	HaymHaym Italian libretto	1724-02-2020 February 1724	London, King’s Theatre	1992-00-001922, Handel Festival Göttingen
18	Tamerlano	HaymHaym, after Agostin Piovene and Nicholas Pradon Italian libretto	1724-10-3131 October 1724	London, King’s Theatre	1924-09-077 September 1924, Karlsruhe
19	Rodelinda	HaymHaym, after Antonio Salvi, after Pierre Corneille's play Pertharite, roi des Lombards Italian libretto	1725-02-1313 February 1725	London, King’s Theatre	1920-06-2626 June 1920, Handel Festival Göttingen
20	Scipione	RolliRolli Italian libretto	1726-03-1212 March 1726	London, King’s Theatre	1937-00-001937, Handel Festival Göttingen
21	Alessandro	MauroO Mauro Italian libretto	1726-05-055 May 1726	London, King’s Theatre	1959-00-001959, Stuttgart (in German)
22	Admeto	HaymHaym Italian libretto	1727-01-3131 January 1727	London, King’s Theatre	1964-00-001964, Abingdon
23	Riccardo Primo	RolliRolli, after Francesco Briani Italian libretto	1727-11-1111 November 1727	London, King’s Theatre	1964-07-088 July 1964, Sadler's Wells Theatre (Handel Opera Society), London
24	Siroe	HaymHaym, after Metastasio Italian libretto	1728-02-1717 February 1728	London, King’s Theatre	1925-12-00December 1925, Gera
25	Tolomeo	HaymHaym, adapted from Carlo Sigismondo Capece Italian libretto	1728-04-3030 April 1728	London, King’s Theatre	1938-06-1919 June 1938, Handel Festival Göttingen
26	Lotario	SalviAfter Antonio Salvi Italian libretto	1729-12-022 December 1729	London, King’s Theatre	1975-09-033 September 1975, Kenton Theatre, Henley-on-Thames
27	Partenope	StampigliaAfter Silvio Stampiglia Italian libretto	1730-02-2424 February 1730	London, King’s Theatre	1935-06-2323 June 1935, Handel Festival Göttingen
28	Poro	MetastasioAfter Metastasio Italian libretto	1731-02-022 February 1731	London, King’s Theatre	1928-00-001928, Braunschweig
29	Ezio	MetastasioMetastasio Italian libretto	1732-01-1515 January 1732	London, King’s Theatre	1926-06-3030 June 1926, Handel Festival Göttingen
30	Sosarme	SalviAfter Salvi Italian libretto	1732-02-1515 February 1732	London, King’s Theatre	1970-00-001970, Abingdon
31	Orlando	CapeceAfter Capece, after Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando furioso Italian libretto	1733-01-2727 January 1733	London, King’s Theatre	1959-05-066 May 1959, Abingdon
32	Arianna in Creta	PariatiAfter Pietro Pariati's Arianna e Teseo	1734-01-2626 January 1734	London, King’s Theatre
A 11	Oreste	BarlocciAfter Giangualberto Barlocci	1734-12-1818 December 1734	London, Covent Garden Theatre	1990-00-001990, Karlsruhe	Pasticcio
33	Ariodante	SalviAfter Salvi, after Ariosto's Orlando Furioso Italian libretto	1735-01-088 January 1735	London, Covent Garden Theatre
34	Alcina	AriostoAfter Ariosto's Orlando Furioso Italian libretto	1735-04-1616 April 1735	London, Covent Garden Theatre	1928-00-001928, Leipzig
35	Atalanta	ValerianiAfter Belisario Valeriani Italian libretto	1736-05-1212 May 1736	London, Covent Garden Theatre	1970-00-001970, Hintlesham Festival, Hintlesham
36	Arminio	SalviAfter Salvi Italian libretto	1737-01-1212 January 1737	London, Covent Garden Theatre	1935-02-2323 February 1935, Leipzig (in German)
37	Giustino	PariatiAdapted from Pariati's Giustino, after Nicolo Beregan's Il Giustino Italian libretto	1737-02-1616 February 1737	London, Covent Garden Theatre	1963-04-2121 April 1963, Abingdon
38	Berenice	SalviAfter Salvi	1737-05-1818 May 1737	London, Covent Garden Theatre
39	Faramondo	ZenoAdapted from Apostolo Zeno's Faramondo Italian libretto	1738-01-033 January 1738	London, King’s Theatre	1976-03-055 March 1976, Handel Festival, Halle
A 13	Alessandro Severo	ZenoAfter Apostolo Zeno	1738-02-2525 February 1738	London, King’s Theatre	1997-03-1818 March 1997, Britten Theatre, Royal College of Music, London	Pasticcio
40	Serse	StampigliaAfter Stampiglia Italian libretto	1738-04-1515 April 1738	London, King’s Theatre	1924-06-055 July 1924, Handel Festival Göttingen	Also known as Xerxes
A 14	Giove in Argo	LucchiniAntonio Maria Lucchini	1739-05-011 May 1739	London, King’s Theatre	2006-09-1515 September 2006, Markgräfliches Opernhaus, Bayreuth	Pasticcio
41	Imeneo	StampigliaAfter Stampiglia's Imeneo	1740-11-2222 November 1740	London, theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields	1960-03-1313 March 1960, Handel Festival, Halle
42	Deidamia	RolliRolli Italian libretto	1741-01-1010 January 1741	London, theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields
49	Acis and Galatea	GayJohn Gay, drawing on John Dryden's translation of "The Story of Acis, Polyphemus and Galatea" from Ovid's Metamorphoses	1718-00-001718	Cannons, Little Stanmore		Variously described as a serenata, a masque, a pastoral opera, a "little opera" (by the composer), an entertainment, and an oratorio

See also

• Handel House Museum at 25 Brook Street and BBC Radio 3 worked in partnership to celebrate Handel's life and music in 2009, with BBC Radio 3 broadcasting the complete 42 operas, 8 January – 25 July 2009
• List of compositions by George Frideric Handel
• Handel Reference Database

References

• Hicks, Anthony (1992), 'Handel, George Frideric' in The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, ed. Stanley Sadie (London) ISBN 0-333-73432-7
• Warrack, John and West, Ewan (1992), The Oxford Dictionary of Opera, 782 pages, ISBN 0-19-869164-5
• Some of the information in this article is taken from the related Dutch Wikipedia article.

External links

• Handel House - Listing of operas with pages on each one.