Handel's Messiah premieres in Dublin (1741–1742)

George Frideric Handel premiered his oratorio Messiah in Dublin on 13 April 1742. Composed in 1741 from Charles Jennens's libretto, the work was performed at the Great Music Hall. Handel had recently abandoned Italian opera, and this Dublin performance preceded the London premiere by a year.

Episodes

Background and detail

Composition and Context. Handel composed Messiah in 1741, beginning work on 22 August after receiving Charles Jennens's libretto in July. By this time, Handel had abandoned Italian opera following the run of Deidamia in early 1741. He had established his pre-eminence in British music, holding the office of Composer of Musick for the Chapel Royal and receiving a pension from King George II.

The Dublin Premiere. Handel arrived in Dublin on 18 November 1741 to perform a subscription series of six concerts between December 1741 and February 1742 at the Great Music Hall, Fishamble Street. The venue had been built in 1741 for the benefit of a charity for imprisoned debtors. Messiah was first performed there on 13 April 1742, with Handel making revisions to match the available forces.

Reception and Legacy. The London premiere followed on 23 March 1743 at Covent Garden. London's initially cool reception led Handel to reduce the season's planned six performances to three. Despite this, Messiah remains Handel's best-known work, with performances particularly popular during the Advent season. Various reconstructions of the 1742 Dublin version have been recorded by conductors such as Scherchen and Malgoire.

People involved

Sources

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