- Eisenschmidt, Joachim.Die szenische Darstellung der Opern Händels auf der
Londoner Bühne seiner Zeit.Berlin: Kallmeyer, 1940. 2v. ML5 .H25.
The nonmusical issues of performance: the London setting, Haymarket and
Covent Garden theaters, singers, acting, production styles, and critical recep-
tion. All quotations are in German only. Notes, bibliography, no index.
See also Stahura (#2721).
- Brainard, Paul. “Aria and Ritornello: New Aspects of the Comparison Han-
del/Bach.” In Bach, Handel, Scarlatti: Tercentenary Essays, ed. Peter Williams,
21–33 (New York: Cambridge U.P., 1985; ISBN 0-521-25217-2; ML55 .B14).
Unlike Bach, Handel made subtle modifications in restatements of ritornellos.
In many cases, the ritornello refers to musical or textual events from the first
segment of the aria. Brainard also draws distinctions between the borrowing
practices of the two composers. - La Rue, C. Steven. “Handel and the Aria.” In Cambridge Companion(#951),
111–121.
A review of Handel’s complex approach to the aria. In London he was able to
“vary aria styles to suit specific dramatic contexts...[and] alternatively could
suit the style to the specific singer.” Considers the relation of oratorio aria to
opera aria with Handel, finding that in the most effective examples of both he
could “combine an abstract musical symbolism with an intense dramatic situa-
tion.” - Celletti, Rodolfo. “Il virtuosismo vocale nel melodramma di Haendel.” RIM 4
(1969): 77–101.
Points out that Handel was influenced in the development of his vocal style by
Alessandro Scarlatti and Steffani. Through analysis of many examples, Celletti
categorizes those influences, which related to extension of vocal ranges, higher
tessitura, longer vocalizing passages, and increasingly varied figures. - La Rue, C. Steven. Handel and His Singers: The Creation of the Royal Acad-
emy Operas, 1720–1728.New York: Oxford U.P., 1995. xiii, 213p. ISBN
0-19-816315-0. ML410 .H13 L23.
Handel selected the singers for the 14 Royal Academy operas and wrote for
their individual specializations. Among them were the castrato Senesino,
Margherita Durastanti, Maria Maddalena Salvai, and Giuseppe Boschi. Han-
del’s autographs are examined, revealing revisions made for specific character
types. Notes, bibliography, index. - Strohm, Reinhard. “Towards an Understanding of the opera seria.” In Essays
on Handel(#953), 93–105.
Considers a number of reasons why modern Handel productions deviate from
the composer’s intentions, primarily from incomplete knowledge of texts and
traditions but also because of modern theatrical conventions. It will help to
recognize that Handel’s early operas belong to the opera seriagenre and to
understand that genre. Its conditions were constantly shifting, and perfor-
190 Opera