Although George Frideric Handel wrote over forty operas, for various reasons they still fall short of the popularity of, for example, Water Music. That Handel’s musical drama holds unfathomable emotional depths, will be demonstrated by the peerless Benjamin Bayl during a concert performance. Among the soloists will be the distinguished countertenor Max Emanuel Cenčić, and the singers will be accompanied by Wrocław Baroque Orchestra.

George Frideric Handel arrived in London in the autumn of 1710. He had recently travelled throughout Italy, learning the secrets of its operatic art. Meanwhile, on the Thames, a demand for Italian-style musical dramas was growing. When the Royal Academy of Music was founded ten years later, the first work written for it was Radamisto. The protagonist is a historical figure – an ancient Armenian general described by Tacitus. Interestingly, the composer created a new version of the opera the following season, intended for newly hired Italian singers, including the famous castrato Senesino.

Radamisto, like other operas of the era in the Italian style, is primarily an opportunity to admire the virtuoso singing of the soloists in numerous arias, although this particular work also features a quartet. The composition is appreciated for its mature form and is also a prime example of Handel’s skill in conveying emotion through music. In Wrocław, the role of the titular character will be performed by one of the world’s most renowned countertenors, Max Emanuel Cenčić, who has visited the NFM several times and enjoys a collaboration with Wrocław Baroque Orchestra.