Esther (Handel)
Esther (HWV 50) is an oratorio by George Frideric Handel and is generally acknowledged to be the first English oratorio. Handel set a libretto by John Arbuthnot and Alexander Pope after the Old Testament drama by Jean Racine. It is a short (1 hr. 40 min.) work compared to Handel's later oratorios. The work was originally composed in about 1718, but was heavily revised into a full oratorio in 1732.
Read more about Esther (Handel): Masque (1718), Oratorio (1732)
Famous quotes containing the word esther:
“...if I perish, I perish.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Esther 4:16.
Queen Esther, as she gathers strength to go to the king on behalf of her people.