Handel — Radamisto

Although more than forty operas have been written by Georg Friedrich Handel, for various reasons they are still inferior in popularity to, for example, Music on the Water. The fact that the world of Handel musical drama hides an unfathomable layer of emotions is best seen during a concert performance of Radamist under the baton of the incomparable Benjamin Bayl. Among the soloists will be the outstanding countertenor Max Emanuel Cenčić, and the singers will be accompanied by the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra.

Georg Friedrich Handel arrived in London in the autumn of 1710. Not long before, he had traveled around Italy, learning the secrets of the opera there. Meanwhile, on the Thames, the demand for musical dramas in the Italian style began. When a joint stock company called the Royal Academy of Music was formed ten years later, the first work written for him by this artist was Radamisto. The main character is a historical figure - an ancient Armenian chief described by Tacitus himself. Interestingly, the composer already in the next season created a new version of the opera, intended for just hired Italian singers, among whom was the famous castrate Senesino.

Radamisto, like other Italian-style operas of this era, is above all an opportunity to admire the virtuoso singing of soloists in numerous arias, although this piece also includes a quartet. The composition is valued for its mature form, and it is also a great example of the artistry of the author Messiah — the ability to repaint feelings with music. In Wrocław, the part of the title character will be performed by one of the most recognized countertenors in the world, Max Emanuel Cenčić, who has visited the NFM several times and collaborated with the Wrocław Baroque Orchestra.