Semele (HWV 58) is a 'musical drama', originally presented "after the manner of an oratorio", in three parts by George Frideric Handel. Based on a pre-existent opera libretto by William Congreve, the work is an opera in all but name but was first presented in concert form at Covent Garden theatre on 10 February 1744. The story comes from Ovid's Metamorphoses and concerns Semele, mother of Bacchus. Handel also referred to the work as 'The Story of Semele'.

Librettist William Congreve (Based on a libretto for an English opera ca.1706 after Ovid's Metamorphoses, with added texts from Alexander Pope (1688-1744) and other works of Congreve)
Date of composition 1743
Premiered 1744, February 10th (Covent Garden Theatre) in London, UK
Type Oratorio
Catalogue HWV 58
Spoken language English
Instruments Voice (Tenor) - Jupiter
Voice (Bass) - Cadmus, King of Thebes
Voice (Soprano) - Semele, daughter to Cadmus, belov'd by and in love with Jupiter
Voice (Alto) - Athamas, a prince of Bœotia, in love with, and design'd to marry Semele
Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Ino, sister to Semele, in love with Athamas
Voice (Bass) - Somnus
Voice (Tenor) - Apollo
Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Juno
Voice (Soprano) - Iris
Voice (Bass) - High priest
Chorus/Choir - priests, augurs, loves, zephyrs, nymphs, swains and attendants
Links
Autotranslations beta Georg Friedrich Haendel: Semele, HWV 58
Georg Friedrich Händel: Semele, HWV 58
Georg Friedrich Händel: Semele, HWV 58