A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Semele

by William Barclay Squire

SEMELE, a secular oratorio by Handel, was composed in 1743, between June 3 and July 4. The libretto is slightly altered from an opera-book of Congreve's, written in 1707. 'Semele' is termed by Arnold 'A Dramatic Performance,' by Mainwaring 'An English opera but called an Oratorio,' while it was announced at different times in the 'General Advertiser' as 'Semele, after the manner of an Opera,' and 'Semele, after the manner of an Oratorio.' The first performance took place on Feb. 10, 1744, at Covent Garden Theatre, where it was repeated three times in the same year. In the following December it was performed twice, with additions and alterations, at the King's Theatre, Haymarket, and was revived by Smith and Stanley in 1762. The Cambridge University Musical Society revived it on November 27, 1878. The original MS. is in Buckingham Palace, but there are some interesting sketches (principally of Act iii.) in the Fitzwilliam Museum at Cambridge.

[ W. B. S. ]