BIOGRAPHIC DETAILS: ENGLAND 1727-1737

1727

7 January: Start of the eighth season of The Royal Academy of Music. (On 28 September the Haymarket Theatre had begun the season with Italian melodramas).

31 January: First performance of the opera "Admeto" (HWV 22) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25 and 28 February, 4, 7, 11, 18, 21 and 25 March, 4, 15 and 18 April 1727. Further performances: London: 30 September, 3, 7, 14 and 17 October, 4 November 1727; 25 and 28 May and 1 June 1728; 7, 11, 14 and 18 December 1731 and 4, 8 and 11 January 1732; 12, 16, 19 and 23 March and 6 April 1754 (the last performance of one of his operas in Handel's lifetime). – Brunswick: August 1729, February 1732, August 1739. – Hamburg: 23 January 1730, 3 January 1731; further performances beginning 1732, end 1733, May 1734.

13 February: Handel's letter to the House of Lords with his application to become a naturalised English citizen.

20 February: confirmation of Handel's naturalisation by King George I.

16 May: Handel finishes the opera "Riccardo Primo" (HWV 23).

6 June: End of the eighth season of The Royal Academy of Music. Quarrel between the rival singers Cuzzoni and Fraustina Bordoni in the performance of Bonocini's opera "Astianatte".

22 (11) June: Death of King George I in Osnabück during a visit to the Elector of Hanover.

15 (26) June: George II proclaimed as the new English King. (As with George I he too felt more at home in his homeland of Hanover than in England.)

14 September: Handel receives a commission to compose anthems for the coronation of King George II.

30 September: Opening of the ninth season of The Royal Academy of Music with Handel's "Admeto"

11 October: Coronation of George II and Queen Caroline in Westminster Abbey. Performance of Handel's  "Coronation Anthems" (HWV 258-261). As a result of the composition of these anthems Handel is described in 1727 as Composer of Musick for the Chapel Royal. (cf. O. E. Deutsch, p. 219)

11 November: First performance of the opera "Ricardo Primo" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 14, 18, 21, 25 and 28 November, 2, 5, 9, 12 and 16 December 1727 (perhaps also in January 1728). Further performances: Brunswick, February 1734

1728

29 January: First performance of "The Beggars Opera" by John Gay and Johann Christoph Pepusch in Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre with 62 performances in the same season.

5 February: Handel finishes the opera "Siroe" (HWV 24)

17 February: First performance of "Siroe" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 20, 24 and 27 February, 2, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26 and 30 March, 2, 6, 9, 13, 23 and 27 April 1728. Further performances: Brunswick: August 1730 and 9 February 1735.

19 April: Handel finishes the opera "Tolomeo" (HWV 25).

30 April: First performance of "Tolemeo" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 4, 7, 11, 14, 18 and 21 May 1728. Further performances: London: 19, 23, 26 and 30 May and 2, 6 and 13 June 1730, 2, 9, 13 and 16 January 1733.
1 June: End of the last season of The Royal Academy of Music.
During this year Handel subscribes four examples of John Ernest Galliard's "Hymn of Adam and Eve" 

1729

February: On behalf of The Royal Academy of Music Handel travels to Italy at the beginning of the month to engage singers for the new opera productions. The singers engaged were Antonio Bernacchi, Francesca Bertolli, Antonia Margherita Merighi, Anna Strada del P , Annibale Pio Fabri , his wife and Johann Gottfried Riemschneider.

11 March: Letter from Venice to his brother-in-law Michaelsen giving advance notice of his visit to Halle in July. Mention of a letter to his mother from Venice.

June: During his stay in Halle, the last before his mother's death the next year, Handel receives an invitation through Wilhelm Friedemann Bach to visit Johann Sebastion Bach in Leipzig. However this visit does not materialise. Returns to London via Hanover and Hamburg.

29 June: Handel's arrival in London.

16 November: Handel finishes the opera "Lotario" (HWV 26)

2 December: Opening of the first season of the second Academy of Music. First performance of "Lotario" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 6, 9, 13, 16, 20 and 23 December 1729; 3, 10 and 13 January 1730.

1730

12 February: Handel finishes the opera "Partenope" (HWV 27). He had finished the first act on 14 January.

24 February: First performance of "Partenope" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 28 February: 3, 7, 10, 14 and 17 March 1730. Further performances: London: 12, 15, 19 and 29 December 1730; 2, 5 and 9 January 1731; 29 January, 2, 5 and 9 February 1737. – Brunswick: February 1731. – Hamburg: 28 October 1733; 25 January 1736. Seven performances in the 1733/34 season, five performances 1735, nine 1736. – Salzthal (Elizabeth Sophie Marie of Brunswick's summer residence) 12 September 1731. – Wolfenbüttel: 1 October 1732.

4 April: First performance of the pastiche "Ormisda" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. The music added by Francesco Conti, Bartholomeo Cordans and Antonio Caldara was probably adapted by Handel. (cf. Chrysander, vol II, p. 239; W. C. Smith V, p. 41 f.) 13 performances until 9 June, five further performances in November and December 1730.

19 June: Letter to Francis Colman, special English envoy to Florence.

16 October: Letter to Francis Colman in Florence about the engagement of Senesino and other singers.

3 November: Opening of the second season of the new Academy

27 December: Death of Handel's mother in Halle. 

1731

12 January: Performance of the pastiche "Venceslao" with recitatives by Handel in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket.

16 January: Handel finishes the opera "Poro" (HWV 28). He finished the first act on 23 December and the second on 30 December 1730.
2 February: First performance of "Poro" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23 and 27 February: 2, 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 23 and 27 March 1731. Further performances: London: 23, 27 and 30 November and 4 December 1731; 8, 15 and 22 December 1736; 5 January 1737. – Brunswick: August 1732. – Hamburg: 25 February 1732; 10 July 1736. A total of 27 performances in the years 1732-1736.

12 February: Letter to his brother-in-law Michael Dietrich Michaelsen. The first of two letters written in German to Michaelsen about the death of his mother, thanking him for looking after her.

26 March: First public performance of "Acis and Galatea" (HWV 49b) in a newer, longer setting in the Theatre Royal in Lincoln's Inn Fields.

6 April: First performance of the opera "Rinaldo" (HWV 7b) in a new, altered setting in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 10, 20, 24 and 27 April and 1 May 1731.

30 July: Letter to his brother-in-law Michael Dietrich Michaelsen thanking him for taking care of his mother's funeral and for sending him copies of the funeral orations for his parents.

13 November: Opening of the third season of the new Academy with Handel's opera "Tamerlano" (HWV 18)

1732

15 January: First performance of the opera "Ezio" (HWV 29) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 18, 22, 25 and 29 January 1732

4 February: Handel finishes the opera "Sosarme" (HWV 30)

15 February: First performance of the opera "Sosarme" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 19, 22, 26 and 29 February, 4, 7, 11, 14, 18 and 21 March 1732. Further performances: 27 and 30 April and 4 May 1734

February/March: Performance of Handel's "Esther" in the 1720 (HWV 50a) version, apparently because of Handel's birthday, in the Crown and Anchor Tavern under Bernard Gates promoted by the Philharmonic Society on 23 February and 1 March and by the Academy of Ancient Music on 3 March. Handel was invited to and present at the 23 February performance.

7 March: Performance of Ben Johnson's comedy "The Alchemist" with music by Handel (HWV 43), Corelli, Geminiani and Vivaldi in the theatre in Drury Lane.

20 April: Unauthorised performance of "Esther" (I version of 1720) in the Great Room in Villars Street, York buildings.
2 May: Performance of "Esther" in a new version (HWV 50b) under the direction of Handel in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 6, 9, 13, 16 and 20 May 1732 also in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Further performances: London: 14 and 17 April 1733; 5, 7, 12, 14, 19 and 21 March 1735; 7 and 14 April 1736; 6 and 7 April 1737; 26 March 1740; 15 March 1751; 1752 (no exact date known). 11 March 1755; 25 February and 2 March 1757; 1759. – Dublin: 3 and 10 February and 7 April 1742; 1744/1745; 17 and 20 February 1746; 11 November 1748; 18 February 1751; 26 February 1753; 1757 – Oxford: 9 July 1748; 12 April 1749; 20 May 1754; 2 February and 6 December 1756; 7 July 1757; 4 July 1759 – Salisbury: 7 October (St Cecilia's day) 1756. – Stockholm: 1734. – Worchester: 20 September 1738.

17 May: Performance of "Acis and Galatea" without Handel's approval conducted by Thomas Augustine Arne in the New Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeat: 19 May 1732.

23 May: Performance of the pastiche "Lucio Papirio" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket, probably with music by Antonio Caldara and the recitatives by Handel.

10 June: First performance of "Acis and Galatea" in the new Italian and English bilingual version (HWV 49b). Repeats: 13, 17 and 20 June 1732. Further performances of the bilingual version: London: 5, 9, 12 and 16 December 1732; 7 May 1734; 24 and 31 March 1736; 28 February and 11 March (these two performances with The Ode to St. Cecilia) 1741. – Oxford, 11 July 1733. Further performances in the English version: London: 13 and 20 December 1739; 21 February and 28 March 1740 (with the Ode for St. Cecilia's Day); 9 February 1744; 1747 (no exact date known); 21 April 1749; 23 October 1751; 2 April 1753; 13 February 1754; 1754,1755 and 1756 (no exact date known); 2 May, 9 June 1757; 31 March and 1 April 1758; 13 August 1759 (Hampstead). – Bath: 18 April 1757; 28 April 1759. – Cambridge: 26 February 1756; - Dublin: 1 May 1734; 1735 (no exact date known); 1740 or 1741; 20 and 27 January (with the Ode for St. Cecilia's Day) as well as 17 December 1742; October 1744 until spring 1745; 23 February, 18 and 25 November and 13 December 1748; 7 February 1749; 23 and 25 January, 22 March and 8 November 1751; 6 February 1759. – Edinburgh: 26 March 1751; 1753. – Gloucester: 5 September 1745; 15 September 1757. – Newcastle: 28 November 1739. – Oxford: 13 May 1754; 23 June 1755; May 1756, 21 February and 28 November 1757; 12 June 1758; 29 October 1759. – Salisbury: 20 October 1748, 19 September 1749. – Stockholm: 19 January 1734.

4 November: Opening of the fourth season of the second Academy of Music with the pastiche "Catone in Utica" (HWV A7, music probably by Hasse, recitatives by Handel) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket.

20 November: Handel finishes the opera "Orlando" (HWV 31). The second act was completed on 10 November.

7 December: Opening of the Covent Garden Theatre under the direction of John Rich. Handel subscribes to the first volume of John Christopher Smith's "Suite de Pieces pour le Clavecin".

1733

Around the beginning of the year opposition grows to those of Handel's operas that lie under the patronage of the King. Founding of a rival concern, with support of Frederick Prince of Wales, the Opera of the Nobility, in the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields with Niccola Porpora as composer and conductor.

27 January: First performance of the opera "Orlando" (HWV 31) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 3, 6, 10, 17 and 20 February, 21, 24 and 28 April, 1 and 5 May 1733

21 February: Handel finishes the oratorio "Deborah" (HWV 51)

17 March: First performance of "Deborah" in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 27 and 31 March, 3, 7 and 10 April 1733. Further performances: London: 2, 6 and 9 April 1734; 26, 28 and 31 March 1735; 3 and 24 November 1744; 8 and 13 March 1754; 19 March 1756. – Dublin: 1741: 1745, 23 January 1746; 1747, 1749, 14 February and 16 November 1751: 23 January 1753. – Edinburgh, 1754. – Oxford, 12 July 1733. Before the first performance of "Deborah" and the 14 April performance of Esther Handel added an organ concerto.

7 June: Handel finishes the oratorio "Athalia" (HWV 52)

9 June: Last performance of the fourth season of the second Academy of Music in the Haymarket theatre. With the exception of Signora Strada, Handel's singers go over to the Opera of the Nobility which opened on 15 June.

July: A trip to Oxford at the prompting of the vice-chancellor of Oxford University, Rev. Dr William Holmes. Performances, inter alia, of "Esther", "Acis and Galatea", "Deborah". Handel declined to accept an honorary doctorate due to lack of time.

10 July: First performance of "Athalia" (HWV 52) in the Cheldonian Theatre in Oxford. Repeats: 11 July 1733. Further performances: London: 1, 2, 3, 9 and 12 April 1735; 10 and 12 March 1756. – Dublin: 1744/1745; 15 November 1751. – Oxford: 5 May 1755. – Worcester: September 1743.

10 August: Letter from London to his brother-in-law Michael Dietrich Michaelsen in Halle. The second of two of Handel's letters in German about the administration of the house left by Handel's mother. Announcing a visit to Halle in the near future. However this visit does not occur in 1733

5 October: Handel finishes the opera "Arianna" (HWV 32)

30 October: Opening of the fifth opera season of the Haymarket theatre with the pastiche "Semiramide riconusciuta" (HWV A8), predominantly to music by Vivaldi, recitatives by Handel.

4 December: First performance of the pastiche "Caio Fabricio" (HWV A9) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket; music perhaps also by Hasse, recitatives by Handel. Handel subscribes to Telemann's "Musique de Table" (Hamburg 1733), the only person in  England to do so. Handel used this collection of Telemann chamber music as a source to borrow from and thematic material for, amongst others, his oratorios "Samson" (1743), "Belsazar" (1745), "Herakles" (1745) and "Judas Maccabaeus" (1747).

29 December: The Opera of the Nobility opens with "Arianna in Nasso" by N. Porpora.

1734

5 January: First performance of the pastiche "Arbace" (HWV A10) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket; music attributed to Hasse but probably by Leonardo Vinci, recitatives by Handel (cf. Deutsch, pp. 342, 361).

26 January: First performance of the opera "Arianna" (HWV 32) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 29 January, 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23 and 26 February, 2, 5, 9, 12 and 16 March, 16 and 20 April 1734. Further performances: London: 27 and 30 November, 4, 7 and 11 December 1734. – Brunswick: August 1737. (It is not certain whether the opera performed, "Arianna in Creta", was Handel's opera)
March: Publication of the six Concerti grossi op. 3 (HWV 312-317) by John Walsh. (cf. Frederick Hudson, p. 22 f. also W. C. Smith V, p. 218)

13 March: first performance of "Il Parnasso in Festa" (HWV 73)  in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket on the wedding eve of Princess Anne with Prince William of Orange. (cf. Hudson, p. 22 f.) Repeats: 16, 19, 23 and 26 March 1734. Further performances: London: 9 and 11 March 1737; 8 November 1740 ; 14 March 1741.

14 March: Performance of the "Wedding Anthems for Princess Anne and William, Prince of Orange" (HWV 262, " This is the day") in the Chapel Royal in St. James' Palace.

18 May: First performance of the second version of "Il Pastor fido" (HWV 8b) in the King's Theatre in the Haymarket. Repeats: 21, 25 and 28 May, 4, 8, 11, 15 (?; cf. Deutsch, p. 365), 18, 22, 25 and 29 June, 3, 6 and 16 July 1734.

15 July: End of the Handel's fourteenth (and temporarily the last) opera season in Haymarket Theatre.
On 6 July Handel's contract with Heidegger expired, when the latter surrendered the theatre to the Opera of the Nobility concern. Understanding between Handel and John Rich over opera productions in Covent Garden in alternation with theatrical performances.

July/August: From about the end July to end August Handel takes the cure at Tunbridge Wells.

12 August: Handel begins the opera "Ariodante" (HWV 33)

27 August: Letter from London to Sir Wyndham Knatchbull, Ashford thanking him for an invitation, presumably to Knatchbull's country seat in Ashford, not far from Tunbridge Wells.

24 October: Handel finishes the opera "Ariodante". He finished the first act on 28 August and the second on 9 September.

9 November: Opening of the season in Covent Garden Theatre with a performance of "Il Pastro fido" with "Terpsichore" as a prologue (HWV 8c). Repeats: 13, 16, 20 and 23 November 1734.

18 December: Performance of the pastiche "Oreste" in Covent Garden Theatre. The music coming from former works by Handel, three arias and the overture were, however, newly composed. Repeats: 21 and 28 December 1734.

1735

8 January: First performance of the opera "Ariodante" in Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 15, 18, 22 and 29 January, 5, 12, 20, and 24 February and 3 March 1735. Further performances: London: 5 and 7 May 1736.

25 March: Handel finishes the organ concerto in F-major, op. 4 No. 4 (HWV 292).

8 April: Handel finishes the opera "Alcina" (HWV 34)

16 April: First performance of "Alcina" in Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 19, 23, 26 and 30 April, 3, 7, 10, 14, 17, 21 and 28 May, 4, 12, 18, 25 and 28 June and 2 July 1735. Further performances: London: 6, 10 and 13 November 1736; 10 and 21 June 1737. – Brunswick: February 1738.

1 April: First performance of the oratorio "Athalia" (HWV 52) in London in the Theatre Royal in Covent Garden. (cf. 10 July 1733)

2 July: End of the season in Covent Garden with a performance of "Alcina". 18 July: Letter to Johann Mattheson thanking him for sending an exemplar of the first part of Mattheson's  collections of fugues "Die wol-klingende Fingersprache" (sic) (The well-sounding fingers) (Hamburg 1735) dedicated to him.

28 July: Letter from London to Charles Jennens thanking him for an oratorio text that he had sent. (The first text from Jennens that Handel set to music is the oratorio "Saul"; cf. July to September 1738.)

July/ August: Another trip to take the cure in Tunbridge Wells probably for about four weeks, as in the previous year.

1736

17 January: Handel finishes "Alexander's Feast" (HWV 75). He finishes the first part on 5 January; in the autographed score the date 12 January is entered at the end of the chorus "Let old Timotheus yield the prize" (sheet 80).

25 January: Handel finishes the Concerto Grosso in C major, the so-called "Alexander's Feast Concerto" (HWV 318).

19 February: First performance of "Alexander's Feast" in the Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 25 February 3, 12 and 17 March 1736. Further performances: London: 16, 18 and 30 March and 5 April as well as 25 June 1737; 17 and 24 February and 20 March, 22 and 27 November 1739; 7 October 1743; 11, 18 and 25 June 1744; 1, 6, 8 and 13 March 1751; 2 March as well as 9 and 14 March 1753; 14 and 19 February 1755. – Bath: 20 November 1752; 20 April 1757. – Cheapside, 12 November 1759. – Dublin: 17 February and 2 March 1742; 4 May 1743; 1744/1745; 24 April 1746; 21 November 1751. – Gloucester; 5 or 6 September 1739; 28 August 1751. – Oxford: 13 July 1738; 2 July 1753; 15 November 1754; 30 June 1755; 23 October 1756; 14 March 1757; 19 March 1759. – Salisbury: 19 October 1748. – Worcester: 31 August 1758.

22 April: Handel finishes the opera "Atalanta" (HWV 35). The first act was completed on 9 April, the second on 14 April.

27 April: Performance of Handel's "Wedding Anthem" (HWV 263, "Sing unto God") during the marriage ceremony of Frederick, Prince of Wales and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha in the Chapel Royal in St. James' Palace.

5 May: Opening of the Covent Garden Theatre opera season with "Ariodante" (HWV 33).

12 May: First performance of the opera "Atalanta" (HWV 35) in Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats : 15, 19, 22, 26 and 29 May, 2 and 9 June 1736. Further performances: London: 20 and 27 November 1736.

9 June: End of the short opera season in Covent Garden with "Atalanta".

June: Towards the end of the month returns from a short trip in the countryside.

29 June: Letter from London to Anthony Ashley Cooper, fourth Earl of Shaftesbury thanking him for sending the "Soliloquy, or advice to an Author" (1710) by Anthony Ashley Cooper, third Earl of Shaftesbury, or the music parts of this work. 14 August – 20 October: composition of the opera "Giustino" (HWV 37). Handel completed the first act on 29 August, the second on 3 September and the third on 7 October. Sometime between 15 and 20 October he finished the score.

17 August: Letter to his brother-in-law Michael Dietrich Michaelsen in answer to Michaelsen's letter announcing the wedding of his favourite niece, Johanna Friedrike, and Dr Johann Ernst Flörcke, professor of law at Halle University. Promised a valuable present.

15 September – 14 October: composition of the opera "Arminio" (HWV 36). Handel finished the first act on 19 September, the second on 26 September and the third on 3 October.

18 December: Handel starts the opera "Berenice" (HWV 38). Handel subscribes to "Two Cantatas and Six Songs" by Barnabas Gunn (Organist of Gloucester Cathedral).

1737

12 January: First performance of the opera "Arminio" in the Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 15, 19, 22 and 26 January and 12 February 1737.

27 January: Handel finishes the opera "Berenice". The completion of the first act is dated 27 December 1736 and that of the second act 7 January 1737.

16 February: First performance of the opera "Giustino" (HWV 37) in the Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 19, 22 and 25 February, 2 and 4 March, 4 and 11 May, 8 June 1737. Further performances: Brunswick: August 1741.

14 March: Completion of the composition of "Il Trionfo del Tempo e della Veritá" (HWV 46b), the new version of "Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno" (HWV 46a; 1707).(cf. 1707 and 11 March 1757)

23 March: First performance of "Il Trionfo del Tempo e della Veritá" in the Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 25 March and 1 and 4 April 1737. Further performances: London: 3 March 1739.

13 April: First performance of the pastiche "Didone", music from Leonardo Vinci, recitative by Handel, in Covent Garden Theatre. Handel was not able to conduct due to a rheumatic attack in his right arm.

18 May: First performance of the opera "Berenice" (HWV 38) in Covent Garden Theatre. Repeats: 21 and 25 May and 15 June 1737. Further performances: Brunswick: February 1743.

11 June: Last performance of the Opera of the Nobility

September/October: Handel takes the cure in Aachen, returning to London either the end of October or the beginning of November.
15 November – 24 December: Composition of the opera "Faramondo" (HWV 39). The first act was finished of the 28 November and the second on 4 December.

20 November: Death of Queen Caroline.  The theatres remained closed for six weeks. Termination of the Opera of Nobility season in Heidegger's  Haymarket Theatre. The season had begun with a performance of the pastiche "Arsace" on 29 October.

12 December: Handel finishes the "Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline" (HWV 264)

17 December: Performance of "Funeral Anthem for Queen Caroline" in King Henry VII‘ s Chapel in Westminster Abbey.

24 December: Handel finishes the opera "Faramondo" (HWV 39).

26 December: Handel begins the opera "Serse" (HWV 40).