Hercules was first given at the King's Theatre in London on 5 January 1745 in concert style. There were only two performances in the original run. The role of Lichas was written first as a small one for tenor, but it was greatly expanded before the premiere to provide Susanna Cibber with six airs. She was too ill to sing on the first night, and the music was either omitted or redistributed on that occasion. She sang in the second performance on 12 January. The music for the chorus "Wanton God" and the air "Cease, ruler of the day" was never given in this opera: the latter was adapted for the final chorus of Theodora. The work was a total failure and caused Handel to suspend his season. Hercules obtained three further hearings, two in 1749 and one in 1752, for which the role of Lichas was eliminated, and much of the other music was also cut.
Librettist | Thomas Broughton (Based on Sophocles and Ovid) |
Date of composition | 1744 (July 19 to August 17, 1744) |
Premiered | 1745, January 5th (King's Theatre in the Haymarket) in London, UK |
Type | Oratorio |
Catalogue | HWV 60 |
Spoken language | English |
Instruments |
Orchestra
Voice (Bass) - King's Theatre in the Haymarket Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Dejanira, wife of Hercules Voice (Soprano) - Iole, daughter of the King of Oechalia Voice (Tenor) - Hyllus, son of Hercules Voice (Contralto) - Lichas, a herald |
Links | |
Autotranslations beta |
Georg Friedrich Haendel: Hercules, HWV 60 Georg Friedrich Händel: Hercules, HWV 60 Georg Friedrich Händel: Hercules, HWV 60 |