Handel Festival Halle
As a composer who was born and raised in Germany, successful in Italy, and who finally settled in England, George Frideric Handel already knew how to shake off the bonds of a specific nationality: he was an early European and a composer to think on a European level as well. Handel was a master of the various styles of music of his time and displayed great virtuosity in the fusion of these styles. This demonstrates that Handel already had an excellent understanding 300 years ago that a European culture exists that, while composed of numerous national styles, is nonetheless homogenous. The Handel Festival is the largest music festival in Saxony-Anhalt and one of the oldest and most famous Baroque music festivals in Europe. In addition, the Handel in Autumn festival has been held in November since 2013. Unlike Handel festivals in other locations, in Halle – the city of the composer’s birth – a variety of events takes place in authentic Handel venues, such as the “Market Church of Our Dear Lady“ where Handel was baptised, and the “Dom” Halle (a cathedral) where George Frideric Handel was organist. It has attracted visitors from all over the world since 1922. Every year, the Handel Festival stages a few of Handel’s numerous operas. The broad and multifaceted programme ranges from opera, oratorios and gala concerts to cross-genre events and projects for children and teens, right through to talks, excursions and an annual academic conference