Belshazzar (HWV 61) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel. The libretto was by Charles Jennens, and Handel abridged it considerably. Jennens' libretto was based on the Biblical account of the fall of Babylon at the hands of Cyrus the Great and the subsequent freeing of the Jewish nation, as found in the Book of Daniel.
Librettist | Charles Jennens |
Date of composition | 1744 |
Premiered | 1745, March 27th (King's Theatre in the Haymarket) in London, UK |
Type | Oratorio |
Catalogue | HWV 61 |
Spoken language | English |
Instruments |
Orchestra
Voice (Tenor) - Belshazzar, King of Babylon Voice (Soprano) - Nitocris, mother of Belshazzar Voice (Mezzo-Soprano) - Cyrus, Prince of Persia Voice (Bass) - Gobrias, an Assyrian Nobleman, revolted to Cyrus Voice (Contralto) - Daniel, a Jewish prophet |
Links | |
Autotranslations beta |
Georg Friedrich Haendel: Belshazzar, HWV 61 Georg Friedrich Händel: Belshazzar, HWV 61 Georg Friedrich Händel: Belshazzar, HWV 61 |