List of Handel's Compositions - List of Handel's Operas
Handel was born in Halle in eastern Germany and moved to Rome in 1706 where he embraced Italian opera. In 1710, at 25, he moved to England where his Italian opera
Renaldo (1711) enjoyed great public success. An ambitious entrepreneur as well as an
exceptional dramatist, within 15 years Handel was running three opera companies to fill
the demand of English aristocracy and public crowds (music was a highly competitive
business in London in this period).
The German Hanover prince Georg Ludwig became George I of England in 1714 and
Handel would become his favorite composer. In 1717 Handel composed Water Music
to help the newly crowned George I become popular among his subjects. The music was
played as the royal family floated down the Themes on barges to the cheering crowds. In
Starting in 1732, Handel had a longtime residency at the Royal Opera House in
Covent Garden where he premiered his operas and oratorios. He composed his famous
concertos to play between the scenes of his operas and oratories in order to complete
with other opera companies.
In 1728, John Gay's satirical ballad opera The Beggar's Opera opened. It mocked
Italian opera and the British fascination with it. Gay set famous songs, including some
of Handel's, to new lyrics. They satirized politics, corruption, injustice and poverty.
The Beggar's Opera ran for 72 performances. English tastes changed radically and
Handel's opera company went bankrupt after an 1841 Italian opera flopped.
But that year he was commissioned to write a new piece of religious music for Easter.
But that year he was commissioned to write a new piece of religious music for Easter.
In a little over a month he had finished his English oratorio Messiah. Its 1742 premier in
Dublin was a huge success and its popularity rescued Handel from his financial problems.
At that point Handel composed more and more works in English rather than other
At that point Handel composed more and more works in English rather than other
languages and never composed another Italian opera after the success of Messiah.
Further English oratorios proved immensely popular with the British.
Handel remained in England for 50 years until his death in 1759 at age 74. He
died a wealthy and respected man and was given full state honors including burial
An article on Handel's late life ailments and mental condition -
The "Case" of George Frideric Handel, New England Journal of Medicine
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