The idea behind A Night with Handel—which offers an introduction to George Frideric Handel' operas—is sound, especially since the baroque master's works for the stage were the compositions for which he was best known during his lifetime, and while largely forgotten for nearly two centuries have recently enjoyed a well-deserved revival. Eight of Handel's operatic arias (one is actually a duet drawn from an oratorio) from Rinaldo, Orlando, Giulio Cesare, and Rodelinda (among others) are expertly sung and stylishly accompanied by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (playing on period instruments). Not all of the songs are presented in complete form here, and those that are unfortunately suffer from the staging—a series of contemporary vignettes arranged to suggest the passage of a night in London from dusk to dawn (a device that, of course, makes nonsense of the words). The historical background, on the other hand, is decently treated in a running narration by host Jonathan Keates, occasionally punctuated by comments from conductor Nicholas McGegan (a Handel specialist). While the LCPM soundtrack in this 1996 Channel Four program is more than acceptable, this is still an optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
A Night with Handel
(1996) 60 min. DVD: $19.99. Kultur International Films. ISBN: 0-7697-8566-2. Volume 23, Issue 1
A Night with Handel
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