Nearly all the arias and instrumental movements in Rinaldo were drawn from Handel's earlier cantatas, motets, oratorios, and operas from his Italian period.
Composition History
Handel's opera Rinaldo was composed in only two weeks, a speed facilitated by the common practice of self-borrowing from earlier works.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Handel's Rinaldo, inspired by Torquato Tasso's 'La Gerusalemme liberata', was the first in a series of his 'magical' operas.
Historical Context
The opera Rinaldo centers around a historically documented event: the First Crusade (1095-1099) led by Gottfried von Bouillon against Arab-ruled Jerusalem.
Composition History
Handel created a heavily revised version of Rinaldo in 1731, making significant changes to the score and libretto, including transposing vocal registers and adding new music.
Critical Reception
The 1711 premiere of Handel's Rinaldo was a tremendous success, firmly establishing Italian opera in England and launching Handel's career on the London stage.
Compositional Technique
In the 1731 revision of Rinaldo, the title role was changed from a castrato soprano to castrato alto, and the character of Eustazio was cut entirely.
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