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The death of King George I brings new challenges for Handel, and new opportunities. Presented by Donald Macleod.

Handel was born in Germany, but he became a naturalised British citizen at the same time that two other native Germans, King George I and King George II, were also learning to be British after their house of Hanover acceded to the crown in 1714. This week, as we head towards the jubilee bank holiday, Donald Macleod uncovers Handel’s fascinating relationship with Britain’s monarchs, and examines how he and the Georgian Kings helped kick-start a new age of British culture and identity.

Today, an escalating rivalry between Handel’s star sopranos at his opera company creates a terrible breach of royal etiquette. The accession of a new British king leads to a key turning point in Handel’s relationship with his adopted country.

Overture to Admeto
Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin
Directed by Andreas Scholl

Riccardo primo, re d’Inghilterra, Act 2 ‘T’amo si’
Lawrence Zazzo, countertenor (Riccardo)
Núria Rial, soprano (Costanza)
Kammerorchester Basel
Conducted by Paul Goodwin

My Heart is Inditing
Choir of King’s College
Cambridge, Academy of Ancient Music
Conducted by Stephen Cleobury

Ariodante Act III: ‘Dopo Notte’ and Finale
Anne Sofie von Otter, mezzo-soprano (Ariodante)
Lynne Dawson, soprano (Ginerva)
Les Musiciens du Louvre
Conducted by Marc Minkowski

Zadok the Priest
The Sixteen
Conducted by Harry Christophers