American Handel Society Conference Indiana University, 11–14 March 2021

Handel's depiction of angels was the focus of the contribution from Mark Risinger (independent scholar, New York): he discussed contemporary theological and philosophical views on their function and existence, the dramatic role of angels in librettos and the remarkable consistency in Handel's musical depiction of these beings across his career, from La resurrezione (hwv47) in 1708 to Jephtha (hwv70) in 1751. Between the composition of the source and the adaptation, major new scientific discoveries on the nature of eclipses had been made by Edmond Halley, offering a naturalistic explanation for their occurrence and challenging the traditional view of eclipses as supernatural omens. The undoubted highlight of the lecture involved Brown preparing and using, live on Zoom, a pungent-sounding gargle recipe from the archives (sal ammoniac, elderflower water and strong brandy were all involved). The first of the final day's two panels explored the representation of women on the operatic stage and in eighteenth-century culture more broadly.