Dublin Handelfest

“I cannot sufficiently express the kind treatment I receive here, but the Politeness of this generous Nation cannot be unknown to you, so I let you judge of the satisfaction I enjoy, passing my time with Honour, Profit and Pleasure”.

Handel wrote these words to the librettist Charles Jennens (known for his work on the libretto for ‘Messiah’) in 1741, during his time in Dublin. The city afforded him a period of artistic rehabilitation during which he re-worked several of his pieces for Dublin performances, including ‘Esther’, ‘L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato’ & ‘Acis and Galatea’.

Handel’s visit to Dublin will forever be associated with the first performance of Messiah at Fishamble Street in 1742. This monumental work has gone on to become one of the greatest and best loved works of Western Art Music, to the extent that it has eclipsed Handel’s other significant achievements during his stay in the stay in the capital.

Founded in 2021, the Dublin HandelFest is a gift from the Irish Baroque Orchestra to the city of Dublin. It is an opportunity to enjoy and reclaim this small but important chapter in the city’s cultural heritage, and we hope that you will celebrate it with us for years to come.
The annual Dublin HandelFest celebrates and explores the rich cultural legacy left by Handel’s visit to the city in 1741-1742.

Join us in July for performances by Peter Whelan and the Irish Baroque Orchestra, Claire Duff, Malcolm Proud, the IBO Apprentices and Pablo FitzGerald. Dublin HandelFest 2023 also offers two insightful walking tours taking intrepid explorers back to Handel’s Dublin, and children have the opportunity to find out what happens when you cross a giraffe with a guitar. ​