THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER, 7PM St George’s, Hanover Square, London W1S 1FX

JOANNE HELEN WILLIAM TIMOTHY LUNN CHARLSTON WALLACE NELSON soprano alto tenor bass-baritone

LAURENCE ADRIAN LONDON CUMMINGS BUTTERFIELD HANDEL conductor leader ORCHESTRA Handel’s Church St George’s Church, Hanover Square Mayfair community, St George’s tries to be St George Street, London W1S 1FX responsive not only to the needs of those that www.stgeorgeshanoversquare.org live or work in the area, but also to those who simply pass by. Eight years ago, in partnership St George’s was built between 1721 and 1724 to with the Cabmen’s Shelter on the northern the design of John James, one of Christopher side of Hanover Square, the church embarked Wren’s assistants, as one of 50 churches for the on a feeding programme for the homeless in Cities of London and Westminster by Act of our midst. As a result homeless people no Parliament in 1711. It cost just £10,000 (about longer just pass by but come into the church £850,000 in today’s terms). along with worshippers, cultural tourists, During two and a half centuries St George’s concert givers and attenders, and those who has been a centre of musical activities from simply come in for a moment’s quiet reflection the time of Thomas Roseingrave, appointed in their busy lives. the church’s first organist in 1725, to our own Soon this mix of people coming to St George’s day and the present musical director, Simon will change still further, as those emerging Williams. In 1978 the then organist, Denys from the new Crossrail station in Hanover Darlow, founded the London Handel Festival. Square and heading south walk down St The church was built when Handel was in George Street. It is with this growing, complex his thirties. In 1723 he rented a house nearby and ever-changing social mélange in mind in Brook Street and remained there until his that St George’s has taken the bold decision to death in 1759. He was often to be seen in the open up its Undercroft. church, especially in his later years, and this This attractive vaulted space beneath the makes St George’s a particularly appropriate church, with a floor area greater than that of venue for the London Handel Festival. the church itself, has historically been used The past 10 years have seen an extraordinary for storage. The ambitious and exciting plan period of restoration and renewal at St is to turn an unloved and under-utilised space George’s. In 2010 comprehensive repair and into a vibrant, accessible, multi-purpose refurbishment of the interior of the church venue. This has been a mammoth endeavour took place and in 2012 a brand new organ was and will shape how St George’s is used in installed. The process of planning, crafting, future generations. The church’s vision is and then installing a first class organ (by driven by three aims: to generate sufficient Richards, Fowkes & Company of Tennessee) funds to support its own and others’ work took a full four years and after its dedication with the homeless; to improve its accessibility to the glory of God and a superb inaugural to everyone; and to expand the range of its recital in October 2012, those now coming to activities. the church as worshippers or concert-goers Work on converting the space and providing are able to hear the results of these labours access to it from the church and street has now for themselves. In January2013 St George’s been completed and discussions are underway and its sister church, the Grosvenor Chapel, with potential catering partners. launched a combined weekly lunchtime recital series known as Mayfair Organ Concerts. Both churches are delighted that the 2020 London Handel Festival will once more incorporate recitals in this series into its own programme. But the work of St George’s is not all musical! As an enduring presence at the heart of the Handel Supporters

We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the following individuals and organisations:

Major Supporters Patrons Circle London Handel Society Endowment Fund – Anon Founding Gift in Memory of Howard and Nan Ian Adams Hopkin John Chown Adrian and Jane Frost Mary Deissler Darwin Escapes Nigel Fletcher and Caroline Burton Richard Hopkin Michael George Arts Council England Judith Ingham Maecenas Trust Bernard Jeffcote The Miss Pamela Charman Trust Andrew Packman Anthony Davis Marilyn Stock Kathryn Uhde Director’s Circle Aaron Watkins Louise Fluker John Wotton Michael Holley Dr Alan King Benefactors Richard Moat and Mary Collins Jane Cooke Richard and Buffy Moyse Moya Duffy Matthew Taylor Dr Madeleine Gantley Peter and Edwina Wardle David Hodges Nigel and Françoise Jones Janice Liverseidge Carol Seymour-Newton Melissa Scott Teresa de Souza Chris Tupker

The Associate Benefactors and Friends of the London Handel Society and other donors who wish to remain anonymous Acknowledgements

London Handel Society Founder Conductor Denys Darlow Incorporating Musical Director Laurence Cummings London Handel Festival Associate Director/Leader Adrian Butterfield London Handel Orchestra Festival Director Samir Savant London Handel Singers Administrator Andrea Lee London Handel Players [email protected] Orchestra Manager Anne-Marie Norman Promoted by the London Handel Society Ltd Music Preparation Peter Jones Registered Charity no. 269184 Public Relations The Board of Directors of the Premier London Handel Festival would like to thank all those involved Design in Reimagined and is very grateful to our community Baxter and Bailey of donors and those who have Programme supported the London Handel Festival philanthropically. Design Creative Melon Notes Katie Hawks

Patrons We extend special thanks to all the performers, including our Dame new collaborations with our choral partners and our 'Sing at Ian Partridge CBE Home' chorus. Thanks also to the production and technical team, and to the many volunteers who give their time and Board of Directors and skill to ensure the ongoing success of the Festival. Richard Hopkin Chairman Choirs Michael Holley Deputy Chairman Vicki Harrison Treasurer SING-AT-HOME CHORUS Laurence Cummings, Musical Director Ian Adams RODOLFUS FOUNDATION CHOIR Greg Batsleer Ralph Allwood, Musical Director Judith Ingham NORTH LONDON CHORUS Murray Hipkin, Musical Director & Rachel Lawrence FINCHLEY CHORAL SOCIETY Grace Rossiter, Musical Director Janice Liverseidge HUDDERSFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY Andrew Packman Gregory Batsleer, Musical Director Melissa Scott PIMLICO MUSICAL FOUNDATION, & TIFFIN BOYS CHOIR & TIFFIN CHAMBER CHOIR James Day, Artistic Director Rebecca Young KINGS COLLEGE LONDON CHOIR Joseph Fort, Musical Director CHOIR OF ST GEORGE’S, HANOVER SQUARE Simon Williams, Musical Director Samir Savant Festival Director Dear Audience Members,

Thank you for joining us for this unique we received the fateful news about the performance of Messiah Reimagined, imminent lockdown, and we had no organised by the London Handel choice but to cancel the remainder of Festival. Each December, we present the Festival. The effect was devastating, a performance of Handel’s choral not only for the Festival itself, but for the masterpiece from St George’s, Hanover artists involved, who were all stood down Square, the beautiful Georgian church in at the last minute. the heart of London where Handel himself Luckily, the Festival had a huge amount worshipped. This year, because of the of support from our Trustees, to work on Covid-19 pandemic, we are doing things our finances and secure the future of the differently – the soloists and London Festival for the time being, as well as our Handel Orchestra will perform live under the direction of Laurence Cummings – and the choruses are pre-recorded and will be integrated digitally into the streamed performance. We are pleased to be joined by nine choirs, comprising some 400 singers, including our ‘Stay at Home’ “all comers” chorus from sixteen countries across five continents! It has been a sad year for the London Handel Festival. In mid-March this year we were a third of the way through this year’s Festival with its engaging theme of ‘Handel and the Hanoverians’ when © Angelo Hornak © Angelo

audience members, two thirds of whom to you all in these dark times. We are opted to convert their ticket purchases sure we can look forward next year to full into full or partial donations. I am so very churches and concert halls for our live grateful to all these generous individuals events, but for now we face an uncertain for their spontaneous support, and financial future, so if you are able to help pleased that we were able to pass all of with any donations, or connections to, or the donated funds received directly to the ideas for sources of philanthropic income, performers. Many of the Festival’s artists please visit our website www.london- are freelancers, and the impact on their handel-festival.com/support-us/ or e-mail work during lockdown has been almost directly with your ideas - festivaldirector@ unthinkable. londonhandelfestival.org.uk. We are so pleased to bring you Messiah We have been delighted with the reaction Reimagined as a free live-streamed to our innovative Messiah Reimagined, event this evening, which will also and so encouraged by all the enthusiasm be available to view on our YouTube for it that we are doing it all again on channel afterwards - www.youtube.com/ Easter Monday (5 April 2021), so please londonhandelfestival. We are sorry that put a note in your diary. If you would like we could not have a live audience, but to sing with us on that occasion in our it would be too difficult to us to manage ‘Sing at Home’ chorus, please visit our with the changing lockdown situation in website to book a place - the United Kingdom. This is an expensive www.london-handel-festival.com/sing-at- undertaking for us, with the added costs of home-messiah/ live streaming and no ticket income, but Thank you for reading and for your we were determined to do it, to support support. our brilliant musicians and to bring music HANDEL MESSIAH HMV 56

‘...he has made a fine Entertainment of it, tho’ not firmly in the importance of near so good as he might & ought to have done. I the mysteries of revelation, have with great difficulty made him correct some resurrection and redemption. of the grossest faults in the composition, but he He was filled with concern retain’d his Overture obstinately, in which there are at the rise of Deism, which some passages unworthy of Handel, but much more argued the mystery out of unworthy of the Messiah.’ Christianity: reason was all you needed; revelation was It seems extraordinary that the Honour to make among irrelevant. God created the anyone could have been themselves a Subscription universe, and He had no need quite so negative about for 6 Nights, which did fill a to act in it through history one of the pinnacles of the Room of 600 Persons, so that and miracles. Deism pounded oratorio, let alone its creator I needed not sell one single the pillars of Christianity and librettist (and good Ticket at the Door, without which Jennens felt should friend of Handel), Charles Vanity the Performance remain untouchable. Messiah Jennens. But Messiah was was received with a general was, therefore, Jennens’ a window into Jennens’ Approbation.’ refutation of Deism, and his soul, and perhaps Handel restatement of the centrality Handel performed Messiah might never have lived up of mystery. thirty-six times, and it to his expectations. Jennens became a fundraiser for the Handel also believed in possibly took some umbrage Foundling Hospital, to which the importance of history from Handel’s apparent he bequeathed his score and mystery. He created attitude to it: initially slow to and parts. It is now his most the Old Testament English get around to writing it, he performed work, and ironic oratorio, and there are laid it aside when he decided that it is the chief reason for many instances in both that he needed something Jennens’ own fame. Jennens Messiah and his music more of ‘gayer turn’ for the 1739 vowed that ‘I will put no generally suggesting the season (L’Allegro). When more sacred words into his centrality of mystery to his he did start composing, he hands, to be thus abus’d’, faith. Handel clearly felt the finished it within a month. but he soon relented, and significance of Messiah: he Jennens had planned a included various Biblical signed off the manuscript London performance of it in passages in two SDG (Soli Deo , ‘To Holy Week; Handel took it years later: perhaps he was God alone be glory’), and his to , giving its premiere not so disappointed with revisions of Messiah were there (without Jennens) in Messiah after all. not merely variants to suit April 1742. Perhaps seeking different singers, but genuine a little conciliation, Handel Messiah is a statement wrote to Jennens of the both of Jennens’ faith and improvements, following excitement ‘his’ oratorio had of Handel’s. Jennens was a Jennens’ suggestions. caused: ‘The Nobility did me high Anglican who believed The oratorio is in three parts, corresponding is in an A1B1A2B2 structure: (‘He trusted in God’). The with the three mysteries: the A sections are written scene ends with the aria revelation, resurrection and in a deliberately antiquated ‘Behold and see,’ an air of redemption. Most of the text style (harking back to the bare loneliness. Interestingly, of Messiah comes from the renaissance); the B sections this aria is in E minor, the Old Testament, emphasising are written in the most key of the Overture, and biblical typology. Typology modern style, so that the a key symbolising hope is the belief that the Old music, as well as the text, after hardship. This aria is Testament provided types, reflects the ‘modern’ antitype answered by the next, ‘But or pre-figurings, to Christ’s of the ‘ancient’ type. Thou didst not leave’, in A antitype (answering figure) A typological arrangement major (itself perhaps referring in the New Testament. For of biblical passages hardly to the Part I chorus ‘And the example, to describe Christ’s sounds like the basis for Glory of the Lord’). birth, Jennens cleverly a ‘fine Entertainment’, Messiah works on so many mingles passages from the but Handel suffuses the levels. It is full of good tunes Gospels with Old Testament work with high drama and and fine choruses, but it prophecies, highlighting moments of both reflection is also immensely skilfully the reciprocity of the two and jubilation. The scene wrought in both musical Testaments. The third part of Christ’s birth is almost terms and in theological. is largely taken from St Paul, conventional dramatic but starts with a passage from oratorio writing: Luke’s When Jennens wrote that ‘I Job. And the two Pauline Gospel provides dramatic hope he will lay out his whole passages in the second part, recitative, and Handel uses genius & Skill upon it, that ‘How beautiful are the feet’ the orchestra and choir as the Composition may excell and ‘Their sound is gone out’, shepherds and angels (even all his former Compositions, are Paul’s own quotations suggesting that the trumpets as the Subject excells every from the Psalms and Isaiah started the chorus ‘Glory to other Subject’, he need not – showing the connection God’ far away, as if flittering have worried. between Old and New in heaven). Another scene Katie Hawks 2018 Testaments. Jennens’ use of high drama is Christ’s of typology was part of the passion. The chorus ‘Surely anti-Deist stance: the Deists he has borne our griefs’ is a played down the importance French overture, followed of the Old Testament, by a , whose subject viewing it as one tradition of may represent the cross. mythology. Then we have a series of Handel was well aware of contrasting choruses and this biblical typology. A great recitatives, including the example is the chorus ‘Since equivalent of Bach’s Kreuzige by man came death’. This choruses in his Passions PART ONE 1. Sinfonia 2. Comfort ye my people (tenor-recitative) 3. Ev’ry valley shall be exalted (tenor-air) 4. And the glory of the Lord (chorus) 5. Thus saith the Lord (bass-recitative) 6. But who may abide the day of his coming (alto-air) 7. And he shall purify (chorus) 8. Behold, a virgin shall conceive (alto-recitative) 9. O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion (alto-air and chorus) 10. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth (bass-recitative) 11. The people that walked in darkness (bass-air) 12. For unto us a child is born (chorus) 13. Pifa (Pastoral Symphony) 14a) There were shepherds abiding in the field (soprano-recitative) 14b) And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them (soprano-recitative) 15. And the angel said unto them (soprano-recitative) 16. And suddenly there was with the angel (soprano-recitative) 17. Glory to God (chorus) 18. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion (soprano-air) 19. Then shall the eyes of the blind (alto-recitative) 20. He shall feed his flock (alto/soprano-air) 21. His yoke is easy, and his burthen is light (chorus)

Interval of 15 minutes PART TWO 22. Behold the lamb of God (chorus) 23. He was despised (alto-air) 24. Surely he hath borne our griefs (chorus) 25. And with his stripes we are healed (chorus) 26. All we like sheep have gone astray (chorus) 27. All they that see him laugh him to scorn (tenor-recitative) 28. He trusted in God (chorus) 29. Thy rebuke hath broken his heart (tenor-recitative) 30. Behold, and see if there be any sorrow (tenor-air) 31. He was cut off out of the land of the living (tenor-recitative) 32. But thou didst not leave his soul in hell (tenor-air) 33. Lift up your heads, O ye gates (chorus) 34. Unto which of the angels said he at any time (tenor-recitative) 35. Let all the angels of God worship him (chorus) 36. Thou art gone up on high (alto-air) 37. The Lord gave the word (chorus) 38. How beautiful are the feet (soprano-air) 39. Their sound is gone out (chorus) 40. Why do the nations so furiously rage together? (bass-air) 41. Let us break their bonds asunder (chorus) 42. He that dwelleth in heaven (tenor-recitative) 43. Thou shalt break them (tenor-air) 44. Hallelujah (chorus) PART THREE 45. I know that my redeemer liveth (soprano-air) 46. Since by man came death (chorus) 47. Behold, I tell you a mystery (bass-recitative) 48. The trumpet shall sound (bass-air) 49. Then shall be brought to pass (alto-recitative) 50. O death, where is thy sting? (alto/tenor-duet) 51. But thanks be to God (chorus) 52. If God be for us (soprano-air) 53. Worthy is the Lamb that was slain (chorus)

LONDON HANDEL ORCHESTRA Violins: Oboe: Adrian Butterfield James Eastaway (recording) Theresa Caudle Mark Baigent (recording) Diane Moore Kathryn Parry Bassoon: William Thorp Mark Wilson (recording) Oliver Webber Trumpet: Viola: David Blackadder Rachel Byrt Stephen Keavy (recording) Peter Collyer Timpani: Cello: Benedict Hoffnung (recording) Katherine Sharman Melanie Woodcock /chamber organ: Alastair Ross Bass: Cecelia Bruggemeyer Joanne Lunn Helen Charlston

Joanne is one of Britain’s Acclaimed for her musical leading Baroque sopranos, interpretation, presence in great demand throughout and ‘warmly distinctive Europe. Her continued tone’ (The Telegraph), relationship with Bach Helen Charlston is quickly Collegium Japan (Masaaki cementing herself as a key Suzuki) takes her to Japan performer in the next and further afield for both concert tours and generation of British singers. Helen won first recordings. Joanne also appears and records prize in the 2018 Handel Singing regularly with the Dunedin Consort (John Competition and was a finalist in the Hurn Butt) as well as with Concerto Copenhagen, Court Opera Competition. She was a ‘rising Tafelmusik (Toronto), Cappella Amsterdam, star’ of the Orchestra of the Age of Ensemble Pygmalion and Knabenchor, Enlightenment 2017–2019 and is a 2018 City Hanover. Joanne has also appeared in Music Foundation Artist. concert in Moscow as well as with Recent concert highlights include Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Handel’s Messiah with the Royal Liverpool This season, her engagements include Philharmonic Orchestra, Mendelssohn’s Bach’s Hunt Cantata with Bach Collegium Lobgesang with the Royal Northern Japan in Tokyo, Mozart’s Requiem in the Sinfonia, her debut at Barcelona’s Palau de USA with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra, la Música for Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Mozart’s Mass in C minor with Saint with the Gabrieli Consort and Players, Louis Symphony Orchestra, Handel’s and tours of Handel’s Messiah with the Messiah with Early Music Vancouver, and Seattle Symphony, the Western Australian again in Tokyo with Bach Collegium Japan, Symphony and Adelaide Symphony Handel’s in Hanover and Orchestra. JS Bach’s Easter Oratorio in Essen, his St This season Helen makes debuts Matthew Passion with Bach Collegium with the , Japan, his Mass in B minor with Müpa Cambridge Handel Opera Company, Budapest, Handel’s Il delirio amoroso at Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the Opernhaus Zürich, JS Bach Cantatas in Slovenian Philharmonic Orchestra, and the St Gallen and JS Bach Masses and Cantatas Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra, as with Concerto Copenhagen in Stuttgart. well as joining Fretwork for a solo recital Joanne is a graduate of the Royal College of programme at Wigmore Hall and York Early Music in London, where she was awarded Music Christmas Festival. Helen premieres the prestigious Tagore Gold Medal. the role of Anna in the newly completed opera Blue Electric by Tom Smail, and will continue her commissioning project of lute songs with duo partner Toby Carr. William Wallace Timothy Nelson Baritone Timothy Nelson William Wallace, winner of gained a degree in first prize at the 2016 physiology from Cardiff Handel Singing University before studying Competition, is a graduate with Peter Savidge at the of the Royal College of Royal College of Music Music and the National International Opera School, Opera Studio. William has where he was awarded the McCulloch Prize worked with such conductors as Laurence for Opera and was a Jerwood Young Artist at Cummings, William Christie, Jorg Straube, the Glyndebourne Festival. He was a winner Anthony Negus and Julian Perkins. Recent of the Bruce Millar Gulliver Prize and the engagements include Arbante (cover) in Gerald Moore Award Singers’ Prize. Cavalli’s Hipermestra (Glyndebourne Operatic experience includes Marcello Festival Opera); Ferrando (cover) in Mozart’s in Puccini’s La bohème and Lieutenant Così fan tutte (Glyndebourne on Tour); Gordon in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night (Opera Sailor/Spirit in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas North); Nathan in the world premiere of (Les Arts Florrisants) and Belfiore in Mark Simpson’s Pleasure (Opera North/ Mozart’s La finta giardiniera (Israeli Opera). Aldeburgh/Royal Opera House); Sid in Other engagements include Grimoaldo in Britten’s Albert Herring (Grange Festival); Handel’s (Cambridge Handel and Anténor in Rameau’s Dardanus (English Opera); Ahasuerus in Handel’s Touring Opera). Future performances (London Handel Festival); and Jonathan in include Timothy’s Swedish debut as Ping in Handel’s (Internationale Puccini’s Turandot for Opera på Skäret. Händel-Festspiele Göttingen). Upcoming Recent solo performances include Karl engagements include in Mozart’s Jenkins’ The Armed Man (Royal Albert Hall); Il re pastore (Israeli Camerata); Beppe in Handel’s Messiah (Royal Festival Hall and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci (Israeli Opera); and London Handel Festival); Rossini’s Petite Alfredo in Puccini’s La traviata (Opéra de Messe solennelle (Three Choirs Festival); Baugé). For Longborough Festival Opera he and Haydn’s Creation (City of Birmingham sang in Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer. Symphony Orchestra and English Haydn As a soloist, he has performed Handel and Festival). Britten live on BBC Radio 3 and in Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall and at St George’s, Hanover Square for the London Laurence Cummings Handel Society. Laurence Cummings is one of Britain’s most exciting and versatile exponents of historical performance both as conductor and harpsichord player. He has been Musical Director of the London Handel Festival since 1999 and Artistic Director of the Internationale Händel-Festspiele Göttingen since 2012, as well as Music Director of the Orquestra Barroca Casa da Música in Porto. His most recent appointment is Music Director of the London Handel Orchestra Academy of Ancient Music from the 2021- The London Handel Orchestra was formed 22 season. He is the William Crotch in 1981 by Denys Darlow to perform at Professor of Historical Performance at the the annual London Handel Festival. The . orchestra is made up of some of London’s He has conducted productions for English finest period instrument players and National Opera, Glyndebourne Festival is today directed by Adrian Butterfield Opera, Buxton Festival Opera, Opera and Laurence Cummings. It has gained North, Royal Academy of Music, Garsington an excellent reputation for historically Opera, English Touring Opera, Opera informed performance and contributed Theatre Company, Linbury Theatre Covent greatly to the revival of interest in Handel’s Garden, Göteborg Opera, Opernhaus music. The orchestra appears throughout Zurich, Opéra de Lyon, and the Handel and the London Handel Festival at venues Haydn Society. He regularly conducts The across the capital, and has now performed English Concert and the Orchestra of the the great majority of Handel’s operas, Age of Enlightenment and has worked with oratorios and orchestral works as well as the Hallé, Bournemouth Symphony, Britten numerous works by his contemporaries. Sinfonia, Royal Northern Sinfonia, Royal This year, the Festival takes the theme Liverpool Philharmonic, Ulster Orchestra, ‘Handel and the Hanoverians’ and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Royal orchestra will perform at St George’s, Academy of Music Baroque Orchestra, Hanover Square, Handel’s own church, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Saint Linbury Theatre, Royal Opera House, and Paul Chamber Orchestra, Kansas City Wigmore Hall. Symphony, Wiener Akademie, National The orchestra also gives concerts across Symphony Orchestra (Washington), Zurich the country and abroad outside the Festival Chamber Orchestra, Jerusalem Symphony, period, and has appeared at the Chelsea, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Musikkollegium Windsor, Three Choirs and Oslo Church Winterthur, and Moscow Chamber Music Festivals and at the Barber Institute. Orchestra. Recordings include the first recording of His numerous recordings include the first the 1732 version of the oratorio Esther recording of Handel’s newly discovered (2007) which was Editor’s Choice in Gloria with Emma Kirkby, and Handel Gramophone magazine, a live recording of Arias with Angelika Kirchschlager and (2009) and (2018). the Basel Chamber Orchestra for Sony The orchestra made its debut at the Royal BMG. Highlights this season include a Opera House, Covent Garden, in 2019 in a new production of Belshazzar at Zürich critically acclaimed production of Opera and at the Théâtre du Châtelet, as part of the London Handel Festival, the along with appearances with the Croatian first time the work had been performed Baroque Ensemble, , there since Handel directed it himself in Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, 1737! Academy of Ancient Music, and the MDR Orchester; as well as his regular commitments at the London and Göttingen Programme designed by Handel Festivals and Casa da Música. creativemelonline.co.uk We need your help…

In addition to giving valuable philanthropic support by joining as a Friend, please consider getting involved with us in another way by volunteering your time and skills, or by hosting a musician in your home.

For most of our events, we need a team of volunteer stewards who help to make our audiences feel welcome, check tickets, direct people to their seats and sell programmes. We are looking to recruit volunteers for future Festival events who are confident, friendly and enjoy interacting with the general public. In return, you will get to enjoy the music and meet like-minded enthusiasts whilst supporting a great charity.

There are other specific year-round volunteering opportunities available, including help with social media, general administration or concert logistics. If you have a particular skill to offer, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Many of our musicians are looking for hosts who can provide free accommodation within easy travelling distance of central London. This is a perfect way to welcome a musician into your home, and it is a rewarding experience for everyone!

If you would like to get involved, and to find out more about anything described above, please contact Samir Savant, Festival Director by email at [email protected].

Thanks in advance for your interest. Please support our work The London Handel Festival is an We offer several levels of support, with a range of benefits designed to bring you annual celebration of the work of closer to our work. Please note that the . Each year we amount for each level is the suggested present a critically acclaimed season minimum donation per year. of concerts, recitals, talks and walks, and everyone is welcome. Since the Friend of London Handel Society - £40 per annum very beginning the Festival has been • Priority booking for all performances, many supported by those passionate about of which sell out Handel’s music. • Invitations to private events organised A major aim of the Festival is to specially for our supporters encourage and promote young talent. • Regular e-newsletter The annual Handel Singing Competition Associate Benefactor - £250 per annum was inaugurated in 2002, and past All of the benefits above + finalists include singers who have gone • Personal acknowledgement in donor lists on on to stellar international careers, such website (if desired) • Advance notification of Festival calendar of as Ruby Hughes, and events Lucy Crowe. • Special events designed to give ‘behind the Our supporters make a huge scenes’ access contribution to the Festival each year, Benefactor - £500 per annum helping us to maintain our high artistic All of the benefits above + standards whilst keeping ticket prices • Personal acknowledgement in donor lists in affordable. We do not receive any printed programmes (if desired) public subsidy and ticket sales alone do • Two free Festival programmes on request not cover all of our costs. Therefore • Personalised communication from Festival Director, including review of each Festival we are reliant on our loyal group of supporters for our continued success Patrons Circle – £1,200 per annum each year, in particular to support our All of the benefits above + artistic ambitions to nurture young • Priority booking before other supporters talent and explore Handel’s lesser • Opportunity to designate support towards a known repertoire. Please join us. particular project • Annual Season Preview event

Director’s Circle – £5,000 per annum If you wish to join or to renew your All of the benefits above + membership, please visit • Opportunity to support specific concert/ www.london-handel-festival.com project/prize or e-mail • Exclusive access to rehearsals and to meet musicians [email protected] • Regular meetings with Festival Director to Thank you for your support. share views A Handel Legacy

The London Handel Society is the charity as you have done. We are a registered charity which runs the annual London Handel (no. 269184), and so any gifts made to us are Festival. We have been very fortunate in exempt from tax. receiving a small but significant number of Please do not hesitate to contact me legacies in recent years, which have made a personally if you are thinking of supporting us valuable contribution to our continued growth in this way, or have already remembered us in and success. Ticket sales alone do not cover your Will. I would be happy to discuss specific the costs of running the Festival, and therefore wording which you might wish to use, and also we are hugely reliant on the generosity of if there is a particular area of our work which our family of supporters, including our legacy interests you and how you might therefore donors, for our survival. designate your gift. We are lucky to have such a loyal audience and core group of supporters and it is to you I Richard Hopkin turn to ask if you would consider remembering Chairman, London Handel Society the London Handel Society in your Will? [email protected] A gift made in your Will ensures that future generations can enjoy Handel’s music as much