Rodelinda

Location

Handel Hendrix House
25 Brook Street
London
W1K 4HB

Description

This exhibition runs from Thursday 13th February 2025 to Sunday 6th July 2025.

An exhibition celebrating the 300th anniversary of the composition and first performance of the opera Rodelinda by G.F. Handel.

Widely considered to be among the finest of the more than 40 operas written by Handel, Rodelinda was composed at his home at 25 Brook Street in London (now the Handel Hendrix House museum) and was first performed at the King’s Theatre in the Haymarket on 13 February 1725. The cast of that first performance included prima donna Francesca Cuzzoni in the title role and the castrato Francesco Bernardi, known as ‘Senesino’, playing the role of Bertarido. Cuzzoni and Senesino were among the most celebrated singers of their day and their skill inspired Handel to write some of his most sublime and virtuosic music.

To mark the tercentenary of this extraordinary opera, Handel Hendrix House is staging an exhibition in the house in which the opera was composed by Handel. The exhibition will feature the portrait of Senesino from 1725 by John Vandenbank depicting the singer in character as Bertarido. He is shown in costume, described at the time as ‘Hungarian habit’, at the moment in the opera in which he contemplates an urn believed by the other characters to contain his ashes. It is at this point in the drama that Bertarido sings ‘Dove sei’ which soon became one of Handel’s most popular arias and was described by the painting’s subsequent owner James Harris in an inscription on the back of the portrait as ‘a most pathetic and capital song’.

In addition to the portrait of Sensino, the exhibition will include an early libretto of the opera, portraits of other cast members and objects illustrating opera-going culture from the 18th century.

Prices

Standard Ticket: £14
Other price options
Children: Free
Student : £10

Contact and Booking Details

More information at this website.

Upcoming Dates

This exhibition runs from Thursday 13th February 2025 to Sunday 6th July 2025.

Forthcoming dates:

Thu 13th Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)
Fri 14th Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)
Sat 15th Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)
Sun 16th Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)
Wed 19th Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)
Thu 20th Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)
Fri 21st Feb 2025 
(10:00am to 5:00pm)

Disclaimer

The information and prices in this listing are presumed to be correct at the time of publishing, but please always check with the venue before making a special trip.

All images are supplied by the exhibition organiser.

Handel Hendrix House
25 Brook Street
London
W1K 4HB

Map

This exhibition runs from Thursday 13th February 2025 to Sunday 6th July 2025.

This event runs over several days/weeks. Dates include:

February 2025

March 2025

April 2025

May 2025

June 2025

July 2025