In his libretto for “Riccardo Primo” Paolo Rolli drew on Antonio Lotti’s opera “Isacio tiranno” which had been performed in Venice in 1710. Handel needed a text with two great women’s roles for the two best female singers of the day were members of his troupe – Francesca Cuzzoni and Faustina Bordoni. He had already written the operas “Alessandro” and “Admeto” for them. He began composing “Riccardo Primo” in spring 1727 completing the first version on 16 May. However following the death of King George I on 11 June 1727 the theatres remained closed.For Handel who had become a British citizen in February 1727 the accession of George II to the throne offered new possibilities and he embarked on a revision of the opera. With this he was able to offer a new opera for the coronation festivities the hero of which was one of King George’s charismatic forebears. From May onwards Handel thoroughly revised the present score wrote some parts anew and expanded it with particularly splendid music. Handel and Rolli also improved the plot and introduced patriotic elements to honour the British monarchy. The historic background is the third crusade against Saladin the Sultan of Egypt and Syria who had recaptured Jerusalem in 1187. Although King Richard I captured Cyprus and together with French crusaders stormed the fortress of Akko in the Holy Land the crusade ended with a ceasefire and Jerusalem remained in Saladin’s hands. Richard was given the title ‘Coeur-de-lion’ by the English for his great military ability and bravery although the Sicilians had first given him this name because of his relentless cruelty in clashes around Messina . The vocal score is based on the Halle Handel Edition volume published in 2005 edited by Terence Best and contains the second version of the opera which was premiered in November 1727. Performance material available for hire. Based on the Urtext of the Halle Handel Edition. Original Italian text with German singing translation. Straightforward and easy-to-play Piano reduction.

Une histoire des arts en chansons - Opéra-chorale pour choeur mixte et orchestre de chambre (PIANO-CHANT) Prologue : 1mn 07s Antiquité : 3mn 41s Avènement des Romains - Intro : 37s - Canon et Coda : 3mn 25s Fondation ecclésiastique Prémices : 2mn 48s Grégoire le Grand : 3mn 37s Le temps des chevaliers Chanson des croisades : 1mn 48s La belle se siet : 2mn 58s Avènement de la polyphonie Organum et édifice polyphonique : 4mn 12s Renaissance Quattrocento : 4mn 14s Le XVIème siècle : 2mn 35s Du baroque à la bossa : 4mn 41s Du classicisme : 6mn 40s Ruptures vers l'impressionnisme : 3mn 44s Modernité : 5mn 28s

/ Piano Et Chant / 8 + 5 P.S. pages / niveau : 5 / Editions Instrumentales - Format: 22 X 31