Hear, O Israel Hear, O Israel

As Messiah season begins, Christopher Corwin reports on two of Handel’s forays into the Old Testament.

By Christopher Corwin November 25, 2025 at 9:00 AM
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I’ll be hard to Handel, I promise you that I’ll be hard to Handel, I promise you that

For my early self-birthday gift “Trove Thursday” offers a Handel-orgy of rarely done works.

By October 12, 2017 at 8:43 AM
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Significant mother Significant mother

Fans of divas who sing 19th and 20th century opera may find themselves searching in vain for CDs to buy with this season’s gift cards, since their idols so rarely put out solo recitals these days.

By December 28, 2015 at 10:00 AM
21 comments
A river runs through it A river runs through it

I can think of no other case that resembles Handel’s complex relationship to the story—derived from Ovid’s Metamorphoses—of the ill-fated love between the shepherd Acis and the sea nymph Galatea.

By October 27, 2013 at 9:38 PM
41 comments
Empire records Empire records

That’s what it must have been like in 1726 London when Handel composed Alessandro for perhaps the three most famous (and expensive) singers of the day.

By February 18, 2013 at 5:41 PM
74 comments
Divas merrily on high Divas merrily on high

Cecilia Bartoli and Joyce DiDonato are not the only ladies who have recorded recitals this year featuring music from the 17th and 18th centuries.

By December 11, 2012 at 2:33 AM
44 comments
Counter attack Counter attack

By the end of its 2012-13 season, the Met will have presented four HD transmissions in less than two years featuring countertenors in prominent roles.

By March 13, 2012 at 12:15 PM
37 comments