»Alexander's Feast«

The libretto to George Frideric Handel's »Alexander’s Feast or The Power of Music« (»Das Alexanderfest oder Die Macht der Musik«) was written by Newburgh Hamilton in 1735 based on a text by John Dryden. The work, which was first performed on 19 February 1736 in London's Covent Garden Theatre in front of an audience of 1,300 people, represents a musical ode to Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music and musicians, and tells the story, originally described by Plutarch, of a banquet given by Alexander the Great in the conquered city of Persepolis after his victory in 330 BC. Through solemn recitatives and skilfully worked arias and choruses, Handel created music that still retains all its thrilling radiance, even today.