Handel’s ‘Ariodante’: A Highlight of Opera Seria

The composer’s opera tells a compelling story with rich, expressive music.

George Frideric Handel, 1726, attributed to Balthasar Denner. Handel composed "Ariodante," a leading example of Baroque opera. Public Domain

In the early 1700s, the British public couldn’t get enough of Handel. Born George Frideric Handel (1685–1759), the German-British composer spent the majority of his career in London. There, he became a pioneer in the opera seria genre, a genre of Italian opera characterized by elaborate arias crafted for the era’s famous virtuoso singers.

While Handel wrote many famous operas, “Ariodante” is perhaps his most enduring masterwork, showcasing the composer’s ability to balance dramatic storytelling with rich musical expression.