A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Esther

ESTHER. Handel's first English oratorio; words by S. Humphreys, founded on Racine's Esther. Written for the Duke of Chandos, who paid Handel £1000 for it, and first performed at Cannons Aug. 29, 1720. Performed again, in action, under Bernard Gates—in private Feb. 23, 1732, and in public at the King's Theatre, Haymarket, May 2, 32, with 'additions' not specified. It was occasionally performed up to 1757 (when 'My heart is inditing' and 'Zadok the Priest' were interpolated into the performance), and then, lay on the shelf till Nov. 6, 1875, when it was revived at the Alexandra Palace. The overture was for long played annually at the 'Festival of the Sons of the Clergy' at St. Paul's.