Hail, Bright Cecelia

When Handel first presented his setting of Alexander’s Feast, or The Power of Music, on 25 February 1736 at Covent Garden, he needed to extend the two-part work to satisfy his opera-going audience’s expectations of a three-act evening. Ten days later Handel reworked some existing material, and added a text by John Dryden – The Ode to St. Cecilia was born. The de Angelis Vocal Ensemble will present Handel’s work with the neo-baroque orchestra Kontrapunktus, and featuring the exquisite vocal talents of soprano Andrea Zomorodian, and tenor John St. Marie.