Â鶹Éç

‘Thy harmony's divine, great king
All, all obey the artist's string.
And now, illustrious prince, receive
Such tribute as my realm can give.’

A musician as monarch: what could be more perfect? Handel’s Solomon (1749) is a celebration of a nation (and a genius) at the height of its confidence, and with its libretto by Moses Mendes, this lavish oratorio is the gloriously tuneful product of a diverse and fast-changing society. Iestyn Davies – arguably Britain’s finest living counter-tenor – lavishes all his eloquence and dramatic power on the title-role, as the period instruments of The English Concert, and the Â鶹Éç Singers under their Chief Conductor Sofi Jeannin, bring Handel’s vision to majestic life.

There will be one interval

Image: Sofi Jeannin