Two arias: “Forte e lieto” (Tamerlano), “Da Tempeste” (Guilio Cesare)

Handel’s opera Tamerlano was reputedly written in twenty days the summer of 1724 and had its première at the King’s Theatre in October that year.  It was quite successful, being staged nine times, with a further revival the following spring. It tells the story of Tamburlaine, the peasant who rose to rule the huge Tartar empire in central Asia, who has captured the Ottoman Emperor Bazajet.  At the start of the opera Bazajet has already been taken prisoner and is so humiliated that he seeks to kill himself, but restrains himself in order to protect his daughter, Asteria, whom Tamerlano wishes to marry. Bazajet is one of the first great tenor roles in opera.

The opera Giulio Cesare  just precedes Tamerlano with its first performance at the King’s Theatre in February 1724, starring the great castrato Senesino. It was very well received with thirteen performances on its first outing. It went on to be a success in Paris with further revivals in London. The opera is a fanciful tale involving Caesar and Cleopatra.  In the final act she has been imprisoned by the villain Sesto but Caesar bursts into her cell and frees her, Cleopatra sings of her delight at her rescue.