A fascinating programme exploring the influence of French music and dance in England. The main work is Handel’s rarely-performed Terpsicore, an unique fusion of French ballet and Italian opera written in 1734 as a vehicle for the charismatic dancer Maria Sallé. Apollo, Erato (the Muse of lyric poetry) and Terpsichore (the Muse of dancing) discuss love, with Terpsichore demonstrating aspects of passion from pleasure to jealousy in a sequence of beautiful French-style dances.

In the first half of the concert, concertos and songs by Handel and French composers in England – including several of Huguenot heritage – are framed by two spectacular song and dance numbers from the Restoration stage: the Passacaglia from Purcell’s semi-opera King Arthur (1691) and its model, the extended sung and danced Chaconne from Grabu’s French-style opera Albion and Albanius (1685).

Ricardo Barros and Barbara Segal join the regular team of SVF soloists, choir and orchestra in a special celebration of Baroque dance and music.