Abstract
WHEN Handel paid his first visit to London in 1711 it was probably with the intention of producing an Italian opera. As fortune would have it, he ran into the right man, Aaron Hill, who was running the Queen's Theatre in the Haymarket. Handel was given a libretto by Giacomo Rossi based on a story from Tasso, and thus Rinaldo came into being. In spite of many detractors, Rinaldo was an overwhelming success and established the status of Italian opera in England for the next two decades. After Rinaldo, Handel returned to Hanover to resume his somewhat pedestrian duties as court conductor. The flush of victory and the knowledge that Italian opera in England offered a wide scope for his abilities impelled him to consider London as a permanent home. We find him returning there and immediately producing II Pastor Fido in November of 1712; it proved to be a failure, much to the joy of Addison and Steele. It was followed by Teseo in January of the following year, which brought even greater triumphs than Rinaldo and certainly determined Handel definitely to settle in England.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
