Dance in Handel's London Operas

Examines the pivotal role of dance in the Italian operas of Handel, perhaps the greatest opera composer between Monteverdi and Mozart.

George Frideric Handel set himself apart from his contemporaries by employing choreographed instrumental music to complement and reinforce the emotional impact of his operas. Of his fifty-three operas, no fewer than fourteen — including ten written for the London stage — feature dances. Dance in Handel's London Operas explores the relationship between music, ...