George Frideric Handel: Esther
Concerts
May 7, 2026 - 7:30 PM (lecture at 6:30 PM)
Church of St. Luke in the Fields, 487 Hudson Street, NY NY 10014
George Frideric Handel: Esther
The Choir of St. Luke in the Fields with Baroque in the Fields period instrument orchestra
Handel’s Esther has long enjoyed the cachet for being the first English Oratorio. Though this is Handel's first oratorio, it already demonstrates Handel's ability to create an enormous variety of orchestral color and to bring to life compelling drama in music. Recounting the story of Esther and Haman from the Hebrew Scriptures, the work incorporates elements of masque, pastoral and opera.