Stars: John Mark Ainsley, Sarah Connolly, Rosa Mannion, Christopher Robson, Claron McFadden, Alastair Miles

Director: Alexander Marengo

Summary: Presenting a compilation of Handel's operatic arias which are brought to life using present-day London. Accompanied by the Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment.

Presented by Handel biographer Jonathan Keates, this programme presents arias specially recorded in London by world-renowned singers and accompanied by the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.

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Sultry sopranos and contraltos brood in candle-lit churches or at the top of a shopping mall escalator; a shaven-headed tough menaces enemies with a knife, singing of vengeance and death in a terrifying counter-tenor rasp; a couple sing of fulfilment in the back of a limousine. Jonathan Keates remarks in his accompanying lecture that the heroes and heroines of Handel's opera are real people, whose passions transcend the baroque libretti they are singing; by taking them out of full-bottomed wigs and panniered frocks and putting them at large in contemporary London at night, this interesting documentary reminds us of the immediacy of these arias. This would not work, of course, were not the performances exemplary in their own right and presented with a driving urgency that takes us away from the pieties of the oratorio tradition and reminds us what a superb and popular man of the theatre Handel was. --Roz Kaveney

On the DVD: The DVD comes with the narration in English, French and German, and subtitles in those languages. The arias are also playable as audio only. --Roz Kaveney

Aspect Ratio:	4:3 Full Frame
Main Language:	English, Italian
Region:	Region 2
Special Features:	Chapters, Audio Compilation, Narration, Booklet
Subtitles:	English, French, German
Year:	1999
Release Date:	October 25, 1999
Runtime:	60 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	0630 15900 2
Keywords:	With, Music, Night, English, Subtitled, French, Handel, Performance, Orchestral, Plays, German, Classical, Performing, Rescheduled, Arts
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts