ABSTRACT
The combination of a historically aware musical performance with a production style which—whether consciously or not—ignores the composer's instructions and the conventions of his day is now such a common feature of Handel opera performances that it has almost become the norm. No doubt many of the decisions taken in preparing a Handel opera for performance are prompted by genuine and sincerely held convictions. Any musical performance is based on a combination of the composer's intentions and the performers' interpretation, and on the interaction between them and a third element: the response of the audience. The lengthy and detailed descriptions of the spectacular sets and stage effects in Rinaldo, Handel's first opera for London, are exceptional in this respect: they reflect Aaron Hill's determination to achieve a sensational success by treating his audiences to a combination of virtuoso Italian singing and extravagant staging.
